Sword Dancer: The Philosopher's Stone
by Unlimited Blade Works
Summary: Harry, Orphan, Ward of Lorelei Barthomeloi, Experimental subject of Zelretch, Magus and now Wizard. Abigail Potter, Heir to the most ancient and noble house of Potter, Destined enemy of Lord Voldemort, Girl Who Lived, Witch. What will happen when the child of prophecy and the Magus who's body is made out of swords meet? First of the Sword Dancer series.
1. Chapter 1

**Sword Dancer**

**Chapter One: Magus**

**Author's Note-**

**Important- **Okay before anyone bites my head off for starting a new story allow me to say this. It's not a new story. This story has been written in the 45 minute period between classes that I have every Monday and Wednesday over the last 12 weeks. So no it did not interfere with the writing of Sharingan No Kami, Mugetsu, ect, ect. Which I write when I am at home and not in between classes.

Also just to point this out. This story is a general crossover with Type-Moon. So Type-Moon terminology will be thrown around quite a bit. If you have no idea about Type-Moon please do not worry. I promise that I can and indeed will explain all of the references in story sooner or later. If you can not handle waiting then by all means please PM me and I will answer whatever question you may have.

Be aware there will be a fair bit of Out Of Character moments. Most notably Lorelei Barthomeloi, however she will act far more like the cannon version of herself during flashbacks and in certain circumstances.

Other than all that please enjoy and thank my BETA Zimbolical, and now on with the show!

**Story Start-**

The boy was eleven at best. A little on the scrawny side, but his body was more or less all muscle. Messy black hair, green eyes, he used to have a small scar on his forehead. However that was removed by medical Thaumaturgy years ago. The room around him was extravagant without being overbearing or opulent. A king-single bed, mahogany desk, laptop, a pair of blades hanging on the wall with a pair of pistols next to them and some black key's hanging up next to them. A deep magenta rug on the floor, a large book case filled with various subjects from Rune Craft to politics. He blinked at the letter held in his hands, before sighing and blinking again.

He would need to see Lorelei about this. Not many would believe it but the ice cold and cool Queen of the Clock Tower was the boy's mother figure. Not that Lorelei really knew how to be a mother, it was even more debatable if she wanted that particular position, but she had it. He sighed, it seems that it was going to be a long day. He could feel it already. The boy sighed again, he could see the gears ticking over in Lorelei's head already, even if he hadn't shown her the letter yet.

The Queen would probably tell him to go, which upset the boy a little considering he had yet to finish his training as an Enforcer. Not that he would be done for another few years. On the other had however it could be a good learning experience. All that being said to the boy a command, or even a request for that matter, from Lorelei Barthomeloi was as good as a command from the almighty himself. If Lorelei told him to go or to stay he would do it.

In other words he would follow it to the letter and completely disregard any personal feelings he had on the matter. To the boy the words of Lorelei Barthomeloi may as well have been holy gospel considering how thoroughly he followed them. Still this would be problematic at best. The boy sighed and opened the door to his room preparing to walk into another day at the Clock Tower. Before stopping dead, he sighed, the sight before him was of pure destruction and mayhem. Fire burned the corridor and the tapestries that lined the wall were completely destroyed. The stones themselves were cracked and in some cases shattered.

"WHERE IS JOHN CONNER!?" The words were roared from somewhere in the distance. The black haired boy, better known as Harry, sighed. It seemed that Waver had lost control of his damned automaton again, stupid Maid Golem. What the hell had possessed him to create that damned menace to begin with!? Harry sighed and shut the door before locking it with his Thaumaturgy and then reinforcing it with Runes, basic Reinforcement Magecraft and even a rudimentary Bounded Field.

Harry sighed again "Well there goes my plans for the day." He lamented before giving the letter one last look and grabbing one of the pistols off the wall and setting about cleaning it, "May as well do something constructive." He muttered, the sound cancelling Thaumaturgy applied to his door allowing him to completely ignore the problems created by the Maid Golem.

He paid the letter no more mind, completely ignoring the green writing about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**XXX**

Lorelei Barthomeloi signed as she and filled out another form, stupid paperwork, how she cursed this abomination to the deepest pits of hell. The brown haired Queen sighed, oh how she wished for something to take her mind off this abomination. Her mind turned to Harry, the small child she had saved exactly six years ago now. He would be a welcome distraction from the dreaded paperwork she was now faced with. Still she wondered when the damned letter would show up, yes she knew about it alright. Lorelei had known right away that the letter would turn up eventually.

Harry was a Wizard after all, not a Wizard like the Magi thought of them but a more pedestrian term.

You see there was a vast distinction between Magi and Wizards, typically Magi were the more powerful of the two as far as raw power went anyway. Having far more Magic Circuits than a Wizard who typically only had one that could expand far more than a normal Magi's could. They called this the Wizards Magic Core. Harry was a boundary between the two, thanks to some meddling by Zelretch. Still the Wizards though having less raw power than a Magi made up for it by having a larger variety of spells, so it all worked out in the end really.

He had started off as a Wizard then the old man comes along with a new theory. About transplanting the Magic Circuits of someone from another dimension into someone from this dimension, in order to enhance their power. Before anyone could so much as volunteer to be the test subject Harry immediately put his name forward. Zelretch accepted as the younger the person the better the chance of survival. Harry, being six at the time, had a 97% chance of survival. The operation was a success and Harry was now the proud owner of 28 Magic Circuits, roughly the same amount as a first generation Magus.

The old man had then handed Harry several books to get accustomed to his new powers and promptly disappeared before Lorelei could disembowel him. Leaving behind only a warning that the boy was not to be harmed. As it turned out the Magic Circuits had ruined Harry from doing most types of Magecraft. The only things he could excel in were, Reinforcement where Lorelei honestly thought he could be the one of the few people capable of perfect self-reinforcement. Alteration, and finally Projection. All of them considered completely useless. When in comparison with some of the more normally utilised forms of Magecraft. Lorelei herself thought the same until she read a single note that Zelretch had left for her.

It had been exactly six words long and rocked her to her core.

_The child can Project Noble Phantasm's_

The Queen had originally thought this to be a joke, in rather bad taste. Right up until Harry had proven that he could do just that. The reason why she didn't know, though Lorelei had her suspicions. How she also didn't know, but Harry, through the use of the notes that Zelretch had left behind, had managed to advance the Thaumaturgical field of Gradation Air. Or Projection as it was more commonly called, more than anyone else in the last four hundred years.

This had been done by utilising a form of replication left behind by Zelretch. Anyone could use it but for some reason only Harry could push it to its full potential.

The form of Thaumaturgy itself was called Tracing. Tracing itself consisted of seven steps.

Judging the concept of creation

Hypothesising the basic structure

Duplicating the composition material

Imitating the skill of its making

Sympathising with the experience of its growth

Reproducing the accumulated years

Excelling every manufacturing process

By using these seven steps after using Structural Analysis it was possible to create items that would stay in the world for hours. Or if Harry did it than it was possible for the item to last for days, or in the case of a bladed object, even weeks.

It was the biggest discovery the Clock Tower had in a long time, thinking about Harry the Queen stood up. She should probably go and visit the boy. After all he had no training today and was most likely bored. Not to mention that it would get her away from the damned paperwork for awhile at least. The Queen opened the door of her office to pandemonium. The hallway was on fire, some Magi were scattered around like rag dolls. The entire place looked like a war zone.

Now if anyone who knew Lorelei Barthomeloi, either because of her official capacity or in her family, saw her in this situation they would tell you what she would do. Lorelei Barthomeloi would walk out of her office like a Queen, ignore the groans and moans of the defeated and calmly set about annihilating the threat that had infiltrated her Clock Tower. If they had taken a bet on her taking that particular course of action only one person, Harry to be exact, would have accurately predicted what Lorelei Barthomeloi would do next.

"WHERE IS JOHN CONNER?!" The words were roared from somewhere close by, Lorelei sighed. Damn Waver and his automaton, what possessed him to build that menace in the first place!? The Queen pulled a small tag from her pocket and hung it on her office door before shutting it again. The tag stated quite simply that whatever was going on inside Lorelei Barthomeloi's office at that moment was so important that unless Brunestud of the Crimson Moon himself had been resurrected you were not to disturb her.

Lorelei walked back to her desk put her paperwork away before pulling one of the paintings off her wall to reveal a safe. The Queen didn't miss a beat and quickly opened the lock, inside was a wine bottle and three glasses. The wine was an old French red, thoughtfully reinforced by Harry for extra kick, the Queen took out one glass and applied a variety of Runes to her door before pouring herself a glass and sitting down. A small novel firmly in her grasp, she took a quick sip of her wine and sighed. Completely ignoring the chaos that she knew was happening somewhere else in the tower. That was one mess that she would let sort itself out.

**XXX**

Harry sighed and walked through the halls of the Clock Tower. The halls having been repaired in the early hours of that morning after that raging automaton had been brought under control. Harry would like it to be noted that the automaton was indeed brought under control and not destroyed, why? he had no idea the damned thing needed to be blown up. Preferably sooner rather than later, don't get him wrong he loved Waver like he would an uncle but that thing was a menace and needed to be destroyed and the sooner the better.

The boy clutched a letter in his hand as he walked to the office of Lorelei Barthomeloi. He was carrying none of his mystic codes. He didn't want to go through the damned security check that the Barthomeloi family would put him through if he turned up with them. He arrived outside his mother figures office, dressed immaculately. Black dress shoes, pants, white undershirt, blood red tie, black jacket. His eyes had been deteriorating at one point but some medical Thaumaturgy had healed them right up. He knocked lightly and opened the door upon hearing the permission to enter.

Lorelei looked up from her paperwork and into the face of the boy she had pushed towards heresy. For Harry Thaumaturgy was just a tool, nothing more, nothing less. He would use anything and everything that he had to use it to his best advantage. From using pistols and firearms, to mixing Thaumaturgy with modern science in order to create better weapons and information gathering tools.

Completely disregarding the traditions of the Magi and walking all over them. Harry had no pride as a Magi, it made him the perfect Enforcer, or Enforcer in training in this case, as he was not bound by the rules as others were. To Harry there was no such thing as nobility on the battlefield. To him there was no hope there either, only unspeakable despair. The crime called victory, a crime that is paid for by the pain of the defeated.

Completely the opposite of what most Magi felt but that was what Harry's experience had told him. To other Magi his views on Thaumaturgy and more importantly his way of completely disregarding the traditions of the Clock Tower was heresy. It was also something Lorelei encouraged in him, not that anyone else knew. To Lorelei her pride as the leader of the Barthomeloi and her pride as a Magus was paramount. It was an odd paradox really when one considered it. The woman who hated heresy more than anything except Dead Apostles encouraging it in her ward.

The Queen shook free of her thoughts, Lorelei honestly had no idea why she encouraged that in the child. But it would keep him alive longer, that was a good thing in Lorelei's book, which was a very good thing. The Queen would never admit it, even to herself, but she was very fond of the child.

"Good morning Harry, how is your training going?" She asked him, the black haired boy nodded to her and sat on a seat in front of the Queens desk.

"Very well my Lady" Harry replied, keeping to the etiquette required. "I was delivered this letter yesterday and would like your opinion on the matter if you did not mind." Lorelei nodded and held out her hand, Harry handed the letter over.

Lorelei took one look over the letter. It was the one she had been waiting on. She sighed, this would be somewhat complicated but doable. The letter was quick and to the point, something Lorelei was thankful for. Most Wizards had a damnable habit of making things as long and complicated as possible. Not that Magi couldn't be accused of the same but Lorelei ignored that piece of information.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin First class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards.)_

_To Mr Harry (No Last Name)_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place in Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on the 1__st__ of Sept__ember and we await your reply by owl no later than the 31__st__ of July._

_Yours sincerely_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Lorelei sighed, this was going to be a pain. She had been expecting the letter for a long time now, after all why wouldn't any Wizard want a doorway into the Clock Tower. The heart of all Magi operations, this was annoying. On one hand if she sent Harry it would take away from his training as an Enforcer, and a retainer to the Barthomeloi family no less. However if she sent him then they stood to know more about Wizard culture in general and more importantly how they worked their magic. They also stood to gain some unique Mystic Codes if they were lucky.

Lorelei looked over the name of the school again 'Hogwarts' what kind of moron named a school that, it wasn't respectable at all. Still that name, ah that was it. Nicholas had sent his stone there to be guarded, it could probably use the extra security though. One Enforcer, even one in training, was worth more than their weight in Wizards. Harry wouldn't have any problem with helping Nicholas or Perenelle. The boy treated the two like they were his uncle and aunt after all. He actually called them that to if her memory served her right, uncle Nic and aunty Pern.

Lorelei sighed again before turning over the next page.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Uniform_

_First Years will require-_

_1- Three sets of plain work robes (Black)_

_2- One plain pointed hat (Black) for day wear_

_3- One pair of protective gloves (Dragon hide or similar)_

_4- One winter cloak (Black, silver fastenings)_

The Queen of the Clock Tower came very close to breaking down laughing after reading the uniform list. No self respecting member of the noble house of Barthomeloi, retainer or not, would lower themselves to wearing robes. She would have several well made suits prepared for her ward. Easy to move in and made of a very strong substance, reinforced as well, maybe some runes? Lorelei found her face contorted in disgust as she read the word Dragon.

The Phantasmal Beasts were long since gone from this world. That which the so called Wizards called Dragon's were but a pale imitation of the true creature. Not that the true Dragon's, or Drakon's as they were called now, were completely gone from this world. But there time had long since passed, there were maybe five left in the entire world. Most likely sleeping, hidden away.

The Queen's eyes returned to the parchment.

_Book List_

_All students must have a copy of the following._

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Swich_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection by Quentin Trimble_

Lorelei nodded to herself, it seemed to be mostly standard fare. Still she had to hold in a laugh at the words Dark Forces. Not much of Magic or Magecraft for that matter was really dark, it was all in the intent. Her eyes returned to the parchment.

_Other Equipment_

_1 Wand_

_1 Cauldron (Pewter, Standard Size 2)_

_1 Set of Glass or Crystal Phials_

_1 Telescope_

_1 Set of Brass Scales_

_Student__s may also bring __one__ of the following_

_An owl OR a cat OR a toad_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEAR STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS._

The Queen looked thoughtful, they would have to buy the Cauldron but it would be easy enough to get Harry a set of Crystal Phials. As for the scales they had a perfect set in the Clock Tower and a telescope was better built by the mundane most of the time, when combined with Harry's reinforcement it would be better than anything he could buy from some second rate Wizard. The Queen nodded to herself before looking up at her ward.

Before asking a question that she would not have asked anyone else. "Do you wish to go?" Lorelei inquired, anyone else would have simply been ordered one way or the other. But Lorelei had always had a soft spot for her ward.

Harry nodded "I do wish to go my Lady." He told her, voice sure and unbent "I believe it would be a good learning experience."

Lorelei nodded before giving the list another once over. "Very well you may attend." She told her ward "I will have a map delivered to your quarters later that will show you where to buy your equipment. Disregard buying robes, the black hat, phials, scales and the telescope. I can easily get you better, you will be a representative of the Barthomeloi at this school I expect you to look and act like it. Tomorrow at the front of the Clock Tower will be a car waiting to take you where you need to go hand the driver the map, I will also give you some other instructions. You may leave now."

Lorelei finished her dismissal handing her ward back his letter, Harry bowed once and left the Queen to her thoughts. Most of which had turn to planning out a variety of interesting and more than mildly sadistic ways of murdering any Wizards that did harm to her ward, even if she would never admit it.

**XXX**

Harry sighed and looked once more at the sign of the pub, The Leaky Cauldron. Yep this was the place, it was dingy, it was dank and most of all it had people wearing robes entering. Ticked all the boxes he was looking for. The boy opened the door and walked inside, the bar tender took a look at him and opened his mouth. Harry sent a quick flare of Prana to his eyes. The man instantly turned to an unoccupied bar stool and began to converse with someone or something only he could see. Harry walked through the pub without glancing at anyone twice, God he loved his eyes sometimes.

A small family looked at the bartender like he was crazy, a man that was fairly tall with messy black hair and glasses, a woman with dark red hair and emerald green eyes and finally a girl with red hair and blue eyes. Harry shrugged to himself, he really hoped they stopped looking at the bartender soon. They probably had things to do with their day after all.

Harry was currently wearing another suit, black dress shoes, pants, a white undershirt, blue tie and a black jacket that extended down to the back of his knees. He wasn't carrying any of his four normal Mystic Codes, meaning his two swords and his pistols, Harry was however carrying several Black Keys. More importantly anyone who was an Enforcer could tell you that the child could most likely kill you thirty different ways relying only on his hands. Moreover the suit was probably loaded with enough Rune based Thaumaturgy to put most Magi homes to shame. The same could be said for the briefcase he was holding as well.

Harry walked out the back of the building to a small courtyard that hit a brick wall. He sighed and tapped a few of the bricks, it was nothing special. Just a Bounded Field that gave one the illusion of a courtyard, sigh, Wizards and their appearances.

The ally itself was a bustling affair with large buildings and twisting streets. Harry sighed, it was going to be a long day, it was going to be a very long day. First stop Gringotts, Harry set off a slight bounce in his step. Most would assume this was from excitement. Actually it was simply the best way for him to remain perfectly balanced so he could attack or defend from any angle at any time. The black haired boy had to weave in and out of the fancifully dressed Wizards and Witch's. Robes? Really? What was wrong with having practicality in your dress code?

The Magus sighed to himself and began walking the steps to the bank. Two Goblins manned the doors, dressed immaculately, in suits he might add, which was slightly off set by the fact both of them were holding a sword. Swords that was quickly analysed and added to his vast library of them. The two Goblins bowed and opened the doors for him. Harry bowed back at a slightly lower angle. Generally a rule of thumb when dealing with bows, if you wish to show respect to someone then not only should you bow back but also keep eye contact while bowing slightly lower.

The Goblins just raised an eye brow, it seemed they seldom got a bow in return, how curious. As he entered the main foyer of the building Harry caught one last glimpse of the doors and an inscription on a small bronze, or was that gold? plaque.

Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn.  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there.

Hmmm, now that could be taken a number of different ways. Naturally the place would be trapped to high heaven, Harry didn't doubt that for a second, but there were several ways of interpreting some of those lines, how curious.

The young Magi sighed again and joined a line in the bank cues. In a situation like this under normal circumstances Harry would just use his eyes and more or less move himself to the front of the line as quickly as possible. He felt that the Goblins wouldn't take that well, not well at all. So he waited like the Wizards. As things turned out he didn't have long to wait at all, ten minutes later he was standing in front of a well dressed Goblin that was sitting across from him wearing a pair of glasses.

"May I ask your business?" The Goblin inquired in a clipped tone. Obviously he did not expect much from a child except a few moronic questions and maybe a small deposit, Harry was probably about to make his day.

"I would like to open an account" Harry requested politely. The Goblin looked up and gave him a quick once over.

"A vault opening costs three thousand Galleon's, enchantments would be on top of that along with the security level. The normal cost of that is, about another two thousand Galleon's on top of the original three thousand. But can cost more depending on the kinds of enchantments and the level of security of the vault. Are you sure you have enough?" The Goblin asked, Harry just smiled and placed his briefcase on the table and opened it. The Goblin took one look at the continence and smiled, oh today was a good day.

"Will this be sufficient?" Harry asked, humour colouring his tone.

The Goblin smiled back, "for an account deposit and creation of this particular amount you will need to speak with the director. Shall I see if he is available?" The Goblin inquired, Harry nodded in return.

"That would be excellent thank you."

The teller turned to one of the Goblins next to him and yelled something in their language. A runner was sent into the halls of the bank, the Goblin turned back to Harry. "When the runner returns director Ragnok should be able to see you and if not give you an approximate time at which he could. Thank you in advance for your patience Mr..." The Goblin trailed off realising that Harry had yet to give his name. The black haired boy smiled, it was one of the few times he was allowed to do this.

"Barthomeloi" Harry responded, the colour drained out of the Goblins face.

It was less than five minutes later when Harry was sitting in front of the Gringotts director. Ragnok was not tall, though no Goblin was really, but he was dressed in the finest suit that Harry had ever seen. That was saying something coming from a child who had grown up inside the Clock Tower.

"I was told that you wished to open a vault and more importantly have a more than sizable opening investment." The aged Goblin told him, Harry nodded and placed his briefcase between them before popping the top. Ragnok took one look at the continence and smiled at Harry. Then again the black haired boy supposed that looking at six million pounds would do that to anyone.

Naturally the money was not all for him. Harry was to be the Barthomeloi's hand in the world of Wizards. The money was to be invested and distributed appropriately to increase the Barthomeloi fortune. Any mistake would come down on Harry's head, hard. Still he had been given orders to follow by Lorelei so as long as he stuck to those he shouldn't have a problem.

Ragnok rubbed his chin for a second. "At the current exchange rate of from an English Pound to Galleon's this amount" he looked at the briefcase. "Six million?" He inquired, Harry nodded. "This six million pounds is approximately 595 829 Galleon's 3 Sickles and 9 Knuts. " The Goblin told him, Harry nodded. "Now could you please tell me what you want in this vault you are looking to open?" The director inquired.

"Of course, director Ragnok." Harry replied respectfully. "I would like a high security vault, the best you have left if you don't mind. As for enchantments, I make the assumption that you have some kind of suggestions of your own."

The Gringotts director looked at the child for a moment. For a second greed reared its ugly head. But was quickly stomped back down, this child was respectful and honest something that Ragnok rarely found in Wizards. More than that though, unless he missed his guess the child was either an Enforcer or training to be one as well as a representative of the house of Barthomeloi. Angering either of those two groups was a fast way of getting yourself killed.

"Indeed I do, I would suggest the standard for the high security vaults. Mostly charms and curses that either kill any intruder outright or capture them so you can deal punishment yourself. It also includes several other spells that do things that range from keeping the vault clean to constantly recording and updating the vaults total wealth and continence from a day to day to transaction by transaction basis." The old Goblin told the boy, Harry nodded.

"I will be honest director Ragnok." Harry said "I have no idea how to open a vault so I thank you for both your input and ideas and accept both graciously, thank you. Could you please tell me what will be left in the vault after the deductions are made?"

The director thought for a second. "The total cost would be ten thousand Galleon's, your remaining balance would be 585 829 Galleon's." Ragnok told the black haired boy, Harry nodded.

"Can Gringotts manage investments?" Harry asked, Ragnok despite himself smiled. Oh he did like this child.

"Indeed we can, did you have something in mind?"

Harry nodded "Yes, please invest 350 000 Galleon's into blue chip companies with a good turn over. With the money made off the shares please put half back into the vault as for the other half. Please split it between being placed back into the blue chip shares and into buying any of the more risky share ventures that you believe would turn out well. I would like it if the majority of that half went back into funding expeditions for Gringotts. If my memory serves the pay off of those is exceptional for the investors."

Ragnok nodded and pulled out a piece of parchment and a knife. "I'm going to need you to cut yourself and let your blood drop onto the parchment. It will act as the contract between you and the vault so only one of your blood or who you allow access to can open it. On that note is there anyone else you would like to have access to the vault."

It didn't take Harry a second to say the name "Lorelei Bathomeloi." He could think of two or three other people he would add to the vault if it was just his but it belonged to the Bathomeloi family and as such he did not add them.

Ragnok nodded "Very well."

Harry handed the briefcase over, but made sure to tell the Goblin not to close it again. Handing an eleven year old six million pounds was irresponsible even by Magi standards and as such the briefcase was heavily trapped. In fact if anyone but Harry had tried to open the briefcase the six million pounds would have been translocated back to the Clock Tower. After which a new payload would be translocated back into the briefcase. Said payload being extremely powerful explosives reinforced with runes, enough of them to level a city block, impossible to disarm and impossible to contain, remove or otherwise stop. Let it never be said that the Clock Tower cared for human life, or life in general for that matter.

**XXX****  
**

It was around three hours later when Harry finally stepped outside the bank again. It had taken that long to go through the paperwork process and more importantly finish off the finer details of the investment portfolio that he was putting together for the Bathomeloi family. While it was true that coming into the Wizarding world would not have been difficult for the Bathomeloi sending Harry to do a job like this was also sending a message.

A message that effectively said this. 'We sent a child to do our bidding and he has advanced us this far already, what happens when we get serious?' It was just a power play really. The house of Bathomeloi showing that even a child with their backing was more than capable of doing things as well, if not better, than a grown man. It was also a subtle insult as if Wizards were below them sending a fully grown adult.

The black haired boy sighed before walking to the closest shop, Ollivander's. A wand, an example of that particular Mystic Code could be found in many places in the Clock Tower. However they were only interested in the more unique wands so Harry doubted that he needed to pick up a Mystic Code from here for study by one of the departments.

Harry opened the door without breaking his stride. The inside was quite dark and rather dank, but not uncared for, he could feel someone behind one of the curtains. Harry made the assumption it was Ollivander "Excuse me I would like to buy a wand please." The black hair boy said politely while looking at where he knew the only other person in this shop was. Ollivander came out from behind a curtain that Harry could only assume lead to his workshop.

"Curious" the old man stated. "How very curious. Not many people could tell when I am in my work shop unless they are adults and have been here before, how very curious. Tell me child what is your name?" Ollivander asked, not unkindly if anything Harry could say there was a mixture of amusement and genuine curiosity in his luminescent eyes.

"My name is Harry, sir" the black haired boy stated. "Ward of the house of Barthomeloi, more specifically Lorelei Barthomeloi. Vice-Director of the Clock Tower, Enforcer in training and now soon to be student at Hogwarts."

If Ollivander was surprised he hid it well. The old man rubbed his chin for a second. "An Enforcer you say, well I have not met one of your kind for a very long time. The last one I even heard about was the Magus Killer and you say you are to be a Hogwarts student, how curious, may I ask young Magus how you attained more Magic Circuits than a Wizard should have?" Ollivander inquired, interest colouring his tone.

Harry smiled back but shook his head politely. "I am sorry sir but that is a secret of the Association I can not divulge it." Not that Harry was completely sure what the hell Kaleidoscope did to him, after all Magic Circuits were linked to the soul. Somehow Zelretch had managed to separate them so that the circuits could be transplanted in their entirety without the soul being attached. Then fuse them completely with a recipient and have the circuits work as well as if the recipient had been born with them. Harry doubted that anyone really knew what Zelretch had done to him.

Ollivander sighed before perking back up. "Oh well, still it is most amazing, you are here to buy a wand yes? So I should not keep you waiting any longer, now which is your wand arm?"

Harry held out his right arm "I am ambidextrous sir, but I am naturally right handed."

Ollivander nodded appreciatively. "A good thing to be" the old man told him. "No weaknesses if your main hand is incapacitated or outright destroyed." Ollivander pulled out a silver tape measure and took a variety of measurements of Harry's arm before standing back. "You may lower your arm now" he told the black haired child. Before walking into the rows of shelving that held wands. The old man came back a few minutes later with an arm full of boxes. "I think these would start us off nicely." Ollivander stated jovially, before pulling a wand out of the box.

"Holly and Dragon heart string, thirteen inches, good for charm work." Ollivander told Harry who took the wand before having it yanked back out of his hand, "No it seems that one will not do." The old man told him before pulling out another wand. "Yew and Unicorn hair, ten and one quarter inches, lends itself to transfiguration."

Harry took the wand again and waved it for a few seconds before Ollivander took it back out of his hand. "Curious, you are definitely suited more towards a wand that lends itself to transfiguration but this one is the wrong kind." The old man packed up the majority of the boxes before leaving towards the back of the store. He came back five minutes later with another arm full of boxes.

"Now let's find you a wand." The old man declared gleefully. The pile of wands next to Harry continued to grow as the hours ticked by, none ever seeming quite right to either the old wand maker or the boy. But Ollivander seemed to only get more and more happier as more wands were declared to be of no use to the boy.

It had been two hours since Harry had entered the store and a pile of wands was still growing. Ollivander looked at the boy for a second before walking further into his store. When he came back the old man was holding only one box.

"Listen to me Harry" Ollivander started. "The wands inside my store, while all of the finest quality, can be found elsewhere though never to the same degree of perfection as my own are." The old man told him, professional pride colouring his voice. "However every now and then I make a wand or two that are closer to unique than any of the other wands I have sold. Naturally all wands are unique, as even if I were to take two hairs from the tail of the same Unicorn and use the same wood for the wand in the end there would still be enough minute differences that each wand would be unique. However these wands that I make are always one or two of a kind. I will never make a wand in the same way again."

The old wand maker took a deep breath. "I already sold one of these wands earlier today, Holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. To a girl named Abigail Potter, this wand had a brother wand both are completely unique as I will never create two wands that particular way or with that particular core ever again." He tapped the box in his hand. "This is another of those kinds of wands, I will never create another wand like this again, not using the same techniques nor the wood, core or fastenings. It was somewhat of an experiment of mine but I think it will suit you well."

The old man took the lid off the box, inside was a wand that Harry could honestly say was different almost completely from all the others he had tried that day. It was around twelve inches long, the wood was a yellow/gold colour, and it had fastenings around some of its edges that almost glowed with the polish that had been placed on them. But what made those fastenings unique was that Harry could tell they were made of iron.

"This Harry is a one of a kind wand, Twelve and one eighth inches, a dual core of Dragon heart string and Manticore tail hair, the wood is from an American tree called a Osage Orange, which is what gives the wand its distinctive colour. The fastenings, as you could probably tell, are iron, something that is rarely used in wand construction." Ollivander handed the wand over, as Harry's hand touched the handle his arm lit up with heat. The feeling of a forge fire, the metal being smelted and hammered out, the power to create, metal, molten metal was being fed through his veins. Heat, heat, heat, fire and metal bound, then just as fast as it began it stopped.

Harry gave the wand a wave and the counter in front of him bent and warped, before changing, where there was once wood was now metal, Dalmascus steel to be precise. Ollivander smiled "we seem to have found a match." The wand maker told him, Harry just nodded, not taking his eyes off the wand. "Now then was there anything else you wanted?" Ollivander asked to which Harry nodded.

"Yes is it possible to get a holster or something for my wand?" He inquired, Ollivander nodded and gabbed one from beside his counter.

"Dragon hide" he told the black haired boy. "Hard to break and you can clip it to your belt."

"That would be excellent thank you." Harry replied, Ollivander ran up the total.

"That will be a grand total of twenty seven Galleon's, normally the wand wouldn't cost that much but as it is also one of a kind I have to charge a bit more." The wand maker told the boy while smiling, Harry just nodded and handed over the money.

"One last thing Harry" Ollivander called out as Harry went to leave the store. The black haired boy turned back to the wand maker. "That wand will be especially good at transfiguration and elemental spells that use fire or earth. Though it has no deficiencies in other area's those are the two areas in which it will excel. However even in the area of transfiguration that particular wand will find it easiest to make metal and shape metal than anything else. Keep that in mind when you are using it will you, I believe that you will do some amazing things Harry, amazing things. But please do come back every now and then to let me look over the wand, I would like to see how it progresses."

Harry smiled back at the old wand maker "that won't be a problem Mr Ollivander." His lips curved a little more. "I will come back before I leave for Hogwarts each year so you may see the difference in the wand."

Ollivander smiled down at the boy "thank you. Good luck and have a pleasant year young Enforcer." The wand maker replied.

Harry nodded "and you, master wand maker."

The remainder of the day went by quickly. Harry was quick to pick up his trunk and books. Though it did require that he used reinforcement to lift the damn thing. Though the look on the Wizards faces when an eleven year old carried a trunk which seemed to be of same size as him, like it weighed nothing was hilarious. If uncle Nic and aunty Pern had been there, Harry was sure they would have broken at least two ribs laughing.

On his left shoulder was an owl, snowy white and gleaming intelligent eyes, red eyes, the owl was an albino. The owl who Harry had named Irisviel or Iri for short. He couldn't remember where he heard the name but it was a nice name.

Naturally the young Enforcer in training had other ways to contact the Clock Tower but he didn't need other people knowing that and so Iri was more for the sake of appearance than anything. That being said the owl was starting to grow on him. Harry smiled to himself as the taxi drove him back to the Clock Tower, it had been a most productive day.

**XXX**

BEEP!, BEEP!, BEEP!, BEEP! "Ahhh, sacafraka, mother of hell, mergle" were the first words out of Harry's mouth as he awoke on the morning of the 1st of September. His arm slammed down on the alarm clock to his left and the black haired boy dragged himself out of bed. He shuffled to the kettle at the side of the room. Most of the time Harry simply ate in the cafeteria of the Clock Tower but for his morning coffee he preferred to be in the comfort of his own room.

The black haired child watched with half awake eyes as the 'elixir of life and happiness' slowly filled the cup. He smiled and threw the coffee back as his eyes lit up and gained a spark to them. Iri, who had woken up when the alarm went off, flew off her perch and landed on his shoulder. The owl quickly leaned over and drank a little of the wonderful creation and let out what could only be called a sigh of contentment. Yes neither Wizard nor Familiar were morning people, as a matter of fact Harry didn't think he had ever met one of these legendary 'morning people'. The black haired child was of the personal opinion that they didn't exist.

He would be heading to Hogwarts sometime today, if his memory served at this early hour. Five am. Ah that was right eleven o'clock was when the train left so he probably needed to be at Kings Cross station at around ten thirty. But really platform nine and three quarters? He knew from experience that the platform would be invisible to normal humans. Still that did explain what that bounded field was doing at the station, he'd never bothered to check it out before. Sure he knew it was there from his visits to the station but he had just never found the need to check it out.

The black haired boy walked to his shower and hopped inside. Harry groaned in close to orgasmic pleasure as the hot water ran over his body. Outside of the shower the snow white owl, Iri, dipped herself into the steaming hot bowl of water that her master had left out for her. The owl hooted in much the same way as her master groaned as she entered the water. It seemed that both master and familiar were already exceptionally similar.

Harry didn't take long to finish his shower, he needed to see Lorelei at seven am. The black haired boy dressed in another of his suits. Before making a mental note to pick up a pair of suitjamas, that way he could look at least a little more presentable if he was woken in the middle of the night. His suit was more or less the same of most of his others, black shoes and dress pants, a white undershirt and a purple tie with a black jacket that went down to his knees. Harry left his Mystic Codes behind, he was not going through that weapon check in with the Barthomeloi, Iri hooted irritably as he left before flying over and perching on his shoulder.

Enforcer and familiar walked down the halls of the Clock Tower, Harry called back greetings to those that spoke to him. Though the people that did so were few and far between, most of the snooty nobles couldn't be bothered with a child after all. So the morning greetings came mostly from the lower ranking members and some maids. As well as a few people from the Enforcer's who had seen him train or helped him in one way or another.

It was a fifteen minute walk from his room to the office of Lorelei Barthomeloi. An acceptable distance really when once considered that his room was right near the centre of the dorms and he didn't have to share. Unlike most of the people living inside them, then again being the ward of the house of Barthomeloi had its own advantages. His mind began to wander, back down memory lane, before Harry shook himself free of nostalgia's grip. Coming to the door of Lorelei's office the child knocked and entered.

The Queen sat behind her desk regally. Back straight, shoulders back, looking every bit the Queen that her title implied. "So you're here" she sated neutrally.

Harry nodded "indeed my Lady." Harry stated, Lorelei looked her ward up and down before gesturing to a chair in front of her which Harry sat upon, Iri remaining motionless on his shoulder. Lorelei gave the familiar a quick look before dismissing Iri out of hand and focusing back on her ward.

"You are leaving today" it wasn't a question but Harry nodded anyway. "Good I have a job for you to do while you are inside the school. But before that please repeat to me the mission parameters that you have been currently assigned." The Queen asked of the black haired boy, Harry nodded.

"My current objectives are to observe the workings of so called Wizard 'magic' and report any significant findings back to the association for the advancement of Thaumaturgy. Any Mystic Codes that I find that can be called unique are to be obtained and sent back to the association. As far as directives by the Barthomeloi family go. I am to use the new account at Gringotts bank to create a standing as investors and financial backers inside the Wizarding society. To more easily obtain valuable information and artefacts as well as increase the Barthomeloi fortune if possible. However this is a secondary objective when compared to the first two." Harry recited his assignment perfectly.

Many might consider it strange that the Magi had no real knowledge on how Wizarding magic worked but it really wasn't that difficult to understand. To put it simply, Wizards didn't like sharing. Not that Magi were any better, both groups guarded their magic's jealously. Sure the Clock Tower could occasionally get materials in through the black market but that paled in comparison to having someone study in a Wizarding school and learning first hand. As for why the Wizards would allow a Magi, even if they were a Wizard originally to study knowing this, it was also very simple. It was a chance for them to learn more about Magecraft, both sides in this arrangement were attempting to use each other.

Lorelei nodded, more than slightly impressed by her ward. "Very good, I believe those were my exact words as well." Harry smiled at the praise and the Queen had to make a conscious effort not to smile back. She had a reputation to keep after all. "I am adding a new directive to your current ones." The Queen told her ward who nodded in return, smile now completely gone.

"Harry this year inside this school you will be attending Nicholas is having his stone guarded. Before you ask no I do not know why he chose a school rather than the Clock Tower or his own home though I do have some guesses. You are to make sure that no one steals that stone, teacher or student, am I understood Harry?" Lorelei asked, Harry nodded his face all business. Iri took off from his shoulder and landed in front of the Queen. Lorelei looked at the bird as if she was less than an ant before stroking her feathers for a second. Iri hooted in contentment before flying back to her master's shoulder.

"You are my Lady." Harry said, standing and bowing to the Queen of the Clock Tower who nodded her head in response.

Harry took the dismissal for what it was and walked to the door, Lorelei called out to him as his hand hit the knob.

"Harry!" She called out sternly, the black haired boy turned around.

"Yes my Lady?"

"In the event that someone does try to steal the stone you are to track them down and deal with them. Make sure you are certain however, no circumstantial evidence."

Harry's eyebrow rose "with how much force would be acceptable?" The Enforcer in training asked.

"Considering what is being guarded only lethal force will be acceptable to deal with any culprit." Harry bowed once again to the Clock Towers Queen.

"Of course my Lady."

**XXX****  
**

Harry had another shower and two more cups of coffee before he left and changed into his new suit. Black shoes, bright and shiny but still completely functional be they for running or fighting. Black dress pants, they were loose enough to allow him to run or fight freely as well. A grey undershirt, a black tie and finally a jacket. None of which impeded his movement in anyway and Harry could tell they had been reinforced by runes. One of the things he did find surprising about his new outfit was the fact it came with leather gloves, black naturally.

He got the feeling that Lorelei was spoiling him. Harry had been told in advance to leave his Mystic Codes in the tower. Which upset him slightly, weapons were an Enforcer's best friend after all, that being said the association was not willing to let codes of that calibre fall into the hands of Wizards. Still he did have his Tracing and his one Noble Phantasm so it wasn't like Harry was completely defenceless.

At exactly nine thirty Harry gathered his trunk, new suits, all twelve of them, loaded inside. Harry walked quickly to the garage of the Clock Tower. Magi in general were technophobic but they did at least see the value in the invention called a car. Arriving didn't take long, placing his trunk into the boot even less so. The driver was sitting inside, Harry could make out that it was a woman through the glass but nothing else. Iri was still perched on his shoulder, now that he thought about it Iri hadn't used the cage at all. Hell he wouldn't be surprised if she slept inside his room rather than at the Owlery that Hogwarts supposedly had. Still it wasn't like he would be ungrateful for the company.

Harry slid into the back seat of the car and relaxed into the leather upholstery as the female driver pulled out of the garage. "You know" Harry said conversationally "this isn't exactly what I pictured you to be doing today."

The driver shrugged. Her close cropped violet hair shaking slightly. Her traditional burgundy suit in place. "We needed someone to see you off, you know make you look more normal." The woman replied, a teasing note to her tone.

Harry sighed before smiling at his driver. "I see, how have you been Bazett?" The black haired boy asked, the female Enforcer shrugged.

"Well enough I suppose, how has your Rune Crafting been coming?" The Irish Enforcer inquired.

"Pretty good, finally got the Anzus and Tiwaz combination down well enough that I can inscribe it on my palms and then transfer it to something." Harry told the Enforcer, who smiled in the seat.

"Ah boys and their explosives" Bazett lamented in jest.

Harry snorted indignantly "And just who was it who showed me that combination?" He asked causing Bazett to smirk.

"I deny everything."

The two chatted on the way to Kings Cross, the traffic was light, thankfully. So they arrived at exactly ten o'clock, Iri still perched on Harry's shoulder. As the car came to a stop Harry scratched the owl lightly and Iri let out a delighted trill. Iri's blood red eyes crinkled in amusement, Harry smiled back at his familiar.

"Ready?" He asked the Owl who gave an exited hoot in reply. Harry smiled as he got out of the car, Bazett opening her own door. Harry quickly retrieved his trunk from the boot and was applied a quick bout of Reinforcement to himself to lift it. It was still funny to see adults gawking at him as he carried the heavy piece of luggage.

Harry looked at the Enforcer as they crested the stairs to the platforms. "Bounded Field?" He asked, Bazett nodded.

"Bounded Field" She confirmed his guess. Harry walked straight at the pillar separating platforms nine and ten and disappeared inside of it, Bazett following close behind.

What was on the other side made both Enforcer and Enforcer in training whistle in appreciation. "A Bounded Field that makes use of translocation, ingenious." Bazett whispered, Harry nodded. Technically it was translocation, teleportation is the ability to instantly move from one place to another. Take note of the word instantly. As the barrier took time to get through it was not teleportation but rather translocation, impressive even to a Magus.

It was more than possible for a Magus to translocate something but it required a lot of time and effort and Harry didn't remember ever hearing if translocation being integrated into a bounded field.

"You need to get someone on this when you get back." The boy stated, the violet haired woman nodded looking a little out of it.

The pair began to take in the other features of the platform. Naturally their eyes were first drawn to the scarlet stream engine in front of them, the so called Hogwarts express. The train was rather impressive but didn't hold the Magi's attention for long and so they moved on to the people around them.

"Gran I've lost my toad."

After that first comment the two Magi tuned the Wizards out. That was not a great conversation topic to hear about. Harry looked at the steam engine and sighed before looking back at the Enforcer. "I'm going to go find a nice out of the way compartment. I'll see you some other day, stay safe Bazett."

The violet haired woman nodded and patted the boy's head. "You too Harry" the violet haired woman told him before walking back out of the barrier, Harry shouldered the trunk again. Ignoring the shocked looks he was getting and boarded the train. Quickly stowing his trunk in the baggage car Harry quickly took up residence in a small cabin right at the back of the train where he wouldn't be disturbed. The black haired boy lay back on the seats and dozed off, he could always use more sleep. Iri put herself down on his chest and joined her master in the realm of dreams.

Harry was first woken by a knocking on the door. The Enforcer in training registered that the train was moving and slowly picking up speed. They had probably just left, damn he had been hoping to sleep longer. The Enforcer in training scratched Iri on her head to wake the owl up who opened her eyes and blinked, looking unfocused.

"Sorry girl someone at the door" Harry told the owl, who hooted irritably and flew onto his shoulder as Harry sat up. The door was knocked on again and Harry quickly got up and opened the door. To see one person, it was a girl, blond hair and pale green eyes, Harry just looked at her for a second. Causing the girl to squirm under his gaze. Harry didn't know that he was doing it but the black haired child was looking at the girl the same way that Lorelei did most Magi. Appraising her and trying to find her worth.

"Can I help you?" Harry asked, the girl who had regained her composure nodded.

"Yes, the other compartments are full would you mind if I used yours?" She inquired to which Harry stepped aside and allowed the girl entry. She nodded to him as she entered.

Harry laid back down on one side of the carriage and closed his eyes, Iri laying down on his chest again. The girl looked a little put out by his actions "so may I ask your name?" She inquired, Harry's eyes opened again and he scratched Iri on the back of the head. The albino owl's eyes opened and she flew to his shoulder as he sat up.

"My name is Harry" the black haired boy told her, causing the girls left eyebrow to rise in a slightly confused manner.

"Just Harry?" She asked to which Harry nodded.

"Yes just Harry, no last name. Or if I have one then I don't remember it." Harry told the girl who looked as if she would push for more information but decided against it.

"Dahpne Greengrass" she told him. Harry nodded, before rolling his shoulders. "So which house do you think you'll be in?" She asked, Harry was unsure if the girl, Dahpne, was just trying to make polite conversation or if she had some other purpose. Still it wasn't like it would hurt him to answer the question.

"Probably Ravenclaw or Slytherin." Harry told the blond who nodded. Harry had read up on the school when he had first been told that he would be allowed to go so thankfully he knew all the basics. "And you?" The black haired child inquired.

The girl shrugged "the same. My father was in Ravenclaw and my mother in Slytherin so I probably have an equal chance at both." Harry nodded and the top lapsed into a comfortable silence. Harry laying back down and closing his eyes before being pulled back into the realm of dreams.

Harry was woken a second time three hours later when another knock came at the door, he looked over at Dahpne. Who seemed to have taken a leaf out of his book and started sleeping. He scratched Iri on her head to wake her up, causing the owl to give a low contented hoot at the contact. Before hopping onto his shoulder as she woke and Harry sat up. The black haired child opened the door causing him to see a plump woman pushing a trolley.

"Anything off the trolley dear?" She asked him, keeping her voice low when she saw Dahpne sleeping. Harry nodded and brought a couple of chocolate frogs and a few other treats, paid the woman and began to close the door when a blond kid stepped in front of the doorway. A single eyebrow on Harry's face rose.

"I am looking for Daphne Greengrass have you seen her?" He asked, while the wording was polite but the child was trying, and failing, to look at him as if he was below him. Also the fact that the kids words were dripping with arrogance did not help matters. Harry looked a little closer and noticed two lumbering oafs coming up behind the boy. Who noticed where he was looking and smiled in a superior way. "Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle." The pale child smiled "and I am Draco Malfoy." He said, clearly waiting for Harry to be awed. He was going to be disappointed.

"And I should care why?" Harry asked, he disliked the kid already. He had met lords like him before, people that thought because they had a prestigious family they deserved more. Hell even Lorelei was like that at times, considering her own name to be worthless when compared against the name of Barthomeloi. But there was a glaring difference between the way Lorelei acted and the way Draco acted. Lorelei was called the Queen of the Clock Tower due to her own abilities. They didn't bend over backwards for Lorelei Barthomeloi just because she was a Barthomeloi.

Well okay some of them did but anyone with a shred of pride in themselves didn't. No most of the Magi in the Clock Tower bent over backwards for Lorelei Barthomeloi because she had earned it. Her family name helped, a lot, but it was the Queen herself that had built her reputation not the power that came from the name of Barthomeloi. The child was just using a name to get what he wanted while he had no power of his own. He hadn't earned the respect that came with a powerful name, not like his mother figure had.

Draco spluttered "I am the heir of the most ancient and noble house of Malfoy!" He declared, Harry still had a disinterested look on his face. The two oafs' behind the blond cracked their knuckles, Harry had to hold in a smile. If they threw the first punch he would show them exactly how much of a gap there really was between an Enforcer, even one in training, and a first year Hogwarts student.

However the altercation was saved from turning violent by the arrival of a newly awoken Daphne Greengrass. "Hmm, Draco what do you want?" Harry looked back, the blond haired girl had an smirk on her face while looking at the blond child.

Draco gave a hasty bow to Daphne, who's smirk had yet to leave her face. "Lady Greengrass." Draco addressed Daphne, Harry gave an almost unnoticeable rising of one eyebrow at the title, it seemed that Daphne was an heir. Hmm, might be a good idea to build a working relationship with her for better information and a good chance at finding artefacts that could help the Clock Tower.

"I would like to invite you to come to our cabin" Draco stated smoothly. "You are far above this rabble." He added pointing to Harry who smiled at the insinuation.

"Draco" Daphne started "are you perhaps implying that I do not know how to make good friends?" She inquired pointing at Harry. The Malfoy heir began to splutter. "Or are you perhaps implying that I should listen to your every order?" Draco continued to splutter. "Mr Malfoy you are to leave this instant before I accuse you of impinging on the honour of house Greengrass." Daphne hissed out, Draco was able to recover his wits and bowed.

"Of course Lady Greengrass." He replied bowing low "I meant no insult and am most sorry if it seemed that I did. For now I will take your advice Lady Greengrass and take my leave, I do hope that we can have a civil conversation in the future." Daphne nodded as Draco shut the door, Harry turned to the blond.

"What was all that about?"

The blond shrugged "long story short his family wants an alliance with mine. My father and mother said no, they got upset and now they're trying the same thing a little differently." Harry nodded at the explanation.

"You're awfully trusting" Harry pointed out. Daphne laughed at his statement.

"No I'm not, but from the way your dressed you are important. Somewhere, I may not know where, but you are important. Also from the way you've acted you haven't been in the world of Wizards for long and yet you're not surprised by magic and know about the houses. You, Harry, are an enigma and one that I would like on my side." Daphne told him, the black haired child smiled at the blond haired girl.

"You know" he said holding his hand out for her to shake. "I get the feeling this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

The blond haired girl grasped his hand firmly "as do I, as do I."

The two once again sat in companionable silence. Neither disturbing the other and keeping to themselves. That was fine, it seemed neither of them wanted to talk about frivolous topics. Harry himself was trying to take into account all of the variables that he possibly could when it came to the stone. The speakers above them crackled to life "five minutes to Hogsmeade" the voice stated. Harry stood up and adjusted his suit a little more.

"I need to change please wait outside." Dahpne requested, Harry nodded and walked out into the hallway, Iri sitting on his shoulder. He looked at the owl who just looked back before both master and familiar sighed in tandem.

"You know girl, somehow I doubt there is going to be good coffee." Iri let out what could only be called a despairing hoot of acknowledgement. "Good thing I brought my own huh" he added smiling. The owl scowled at him before whacking Harry over the back of the head with one of her wings. "Sorry Iri." The Magus told his familiar, if anyone in the Clock Tower could see him now they would probably break down in laughter. A Magus being successfully cowed by his familiar, disgraceful.

The door to the cabin opened, "you may come back in now." Daphne told him, Harry shrugged and sat back down. "Are you not going to change?" She inquired, Harry shook his head.

"I will not insult my Lady by wearing a robe. It is beneath the dignity of a ward of house Barthomeloi." He stated, Daphne looked at him for a second before her eyes lit up in understanding. Harry's mind caught up with his mouth, fuck.

"I see it makes sense now. You are unsurprised by magic almost like you are used to it and yet you know nothing of Wizarding culture. It is a pleasure to meet you, Magus." Daphne stated, well this did have to happen sometime. Harry had just been hoping it would be more on his terms than because his mouth worked faster than his brain. Not being interrogated about Magecraft was good too but alas all good things must come to an end eventually.

He bowed in return to the blonds statement "and a pleasure to meet you, Witch."

The two chuckled as the train came to a stop and the two filed out with the other first years.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Came the booming voice of a huge man. Harry gulped, the man looked large enough to crush his skull in one meaty hand. Reinforcement or no reinforcement. But he didn't seem all that threatening with the gigantic grin that was on his face.

"C'mon, follow me- any more Firs years!?" The man called out, seeing no one else he began to lead them off. "C'mon follow me, and mind yer feet." The man lead the first years down a narrow path through the woods with gigantic trees growing either side. "You'll get yer first sight O' Hogwarts in a sec" he called back to them. As they rounded a corner almost every first year let out an awed 'Oooooooooh' as the castle came into view.

Soaring ramparts, turrets and towers. It lacked the sheer imposing aura of the Clock Tower but he was biased. Still it was more than impressive, Harry couldn't hold in a smile.

"This is going to be interesting."

**Sword Dancer Chapter 1- End**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sword Dancer**

**Chapter Two: Trace. On.**

**Author's Note-**

So chapter two, yeah not much to say here. Thank Zimbolical for the BETA and just to say this again. This story is not a wrong Boy-Who-Lived story. Enjoy.

**Story Start-**

"This is going to be interesting."Iri hooted in agreement still in her spot on his left shoulder. The moment that the words left Harry's mouth the mountain of a man in front of them started walking again. Forcing both him and the other first years to jog in order to catch up. Great pine tree's rose on either side of the path and if Harry had to guess he would say that the entire experience was made for no better reason than to add to the first year's awe. Not that said awe needed much adding to, if what he could see on his companions faces was right.

Harry found himself at the centre of the group of first years and sighed. The black haired boy walked forward, a spring in his step. The people around him immediately thought he was exited; the people around him were morons. By keeping a bounce in his step Harry was able to remain completely balanced and defend or attack from any angle, he was also planning out several ways to kill the people around him should they prove to be hostile. Paranoid? Yes. But paranoia was an occupational hazard for an Enforcer, you didn't live to long without a healthy amount of it.

After all when a Dead Apostle was hiding out in a village you needed to be paranoid to stay alive. Was that really a floorboard creaking? Or was it one of the Dead creeping up on you? Was it really just one of the Dead? Or was it something worse? Are your defences enough to handle what could be coming up behind you? Etcetera, etcetera. It was a pain at times, but it did keep him alive on more than one occasion so Harry let his paranoia slide, most of the time and this was one of those times.

At the same time they were walking Harry was, discreetly, picking out various places that he could train in. For example a rather large rock formation in the forest looked just perfect for survival exercises. The fact the entire wood was probably infested by a variety of creatures, most likely dark, just helped up the difficulty level for the young Enforcer. Yes Harry was quite certain he would enjoy using the forest as a training ground, provided it didn't kill him.

The black haired child made a mental note to check up on all the different creatures inside the forest. He was foolhardy, but he was not stupid. After all care and long life go together, that is doubly true for a Magus. Considering how many different ways there were for them to kill themselves just by misusing their circuits, care and patience were two virtues that Harry had learned well. Even if he didn't like them very much, if at all. Perhaps it would be prudent to have Iri do a fly over and map some of the forest as well.

Harry, by force of habit, checked himself for weapons. Naturally he found nothing, though the black haired child would have to look into smuggling in something. Black Key's maybe? They were fairly unassuming weapons, looking just like a sword hilt. But when some Prana was pushed through the hilt a blade appeared. The damage it did was more spiritual than physical but they were still very good weapons. Harry shook his head and pushed the thoughts out of it.

No, Harry reminded himself sternly, he would not look into smuggling some weapons in no matter how much he may want to. Lorelei told him not to have any weapons and as such he would not carry any weapons. But he could not help but disagree with her decision, but that could just be the Enforcer in him talking. After all to an Enforcer their weapons were their best friends, and though Harry was loathe to admit it, he felt naked without his swords and pistols. He could simply Trace any weapon that he needed but sometimes it was better to just have one on him.

The Enforcer in training shook his feeling of nakedness off and continued his walk. He could hear the other children chuckling or talking, no he supposed that should be bickering, with each other. The Enforcer in training was quite happy to be silent and it seemed that Daphne was as well so he found no need to talk. Even Iri was quieter than usual.

"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid yelled over the assembled first years, while pointing at a small fleet of boats moored on the surface of a rather large lake. Harry quickly made his way down to the fleet and jumped into one of the boats, sticking out like a sore thumb considering he was the only person in relatively normal clothing. In addition to that he had an albino owl on his left shoulder, there was no way he would not stick out like a sore thumb.

He was joined by Daphne who seemed content to follow him, whilst enjoying the young Enforcer's not so hidden ire at the fact that they were being led to the castle by seemingly the longest route humanly possible. They were joined by a rather nervous looking black haired child with brown eyes and a blond haired girl. Who had her hair done into pig tails and a slightly pink face with brown eyes, the two were speaking excitedly. Harry didn't feel the need to engage in conversation.

Hagrid got into a boat himself and looked back at the other boats. "Everyone in!?" He called back over the boats and waited, hearing no words of dissent he looked forward again. "Forward!" The giant of a man called out and the boats began pushing themselves through the water. Harry was slightly intrigued by this.

"Structural analysis" the black haired Enforcer in training whispered. His face didn't change as he gained the information he was after. The boat was more or less created for self-propulsion. The spell on it absorbed the ambient Prana in the water around them and converted it into power, then it pushed itself along. It was by no means an incredible piece of work but it was still a passable Mystic Code.

The small fleet glided across the surface of the lake. The surface of the body of water as smooth as glass and black as midnight, "heads down!" Hagrid called out from the front of the fleet as they approached a wall of ivy causing all the surrounding children to duck, Harry included. Iri dropped from her customary place on his left shoulder and into Harry's lap. The small fleet went through an almost pitch black tunnel before coming out into a rather large underground dock. The first years clamoured out onto the pebbles and rocks of the shore. Or at least most of them clamoured, it was beneath the dignity of a ward of the house of Barthomeloi to clamour. Iri jumped back on his shoulder and Harry gave the bird a wry look.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather fly to the Owlery?" Harry asked, the pure white owl just looked at him for a second and hooted in disdain. Harry chuckled lightly, "of course you are. Never change girl." He added scratching Iri on the back of her head and getting a contented hoot in return.

"Oi, you there!" Hagrid called out, looking at a pudgy child. "Is this your toad?" He asked, not unkindly.

"TREVOR!" The chubby boy yelled, seemingly in joy. Why? Harry had no idea. Why would someone be glad to get back a toad of all things, he would never understand people. Then again maybe it was a gift from someone close to him and as such carried some kind of sentimental value. After all even he could understand that, he did still have the first training sword Lorelei brought him after all. Even though he had long since stopped using it.

Hagrid led the group up a long flight of stone stairs coming out in the shadow of the castle they had gazed upon earlier. The smooth damp grass something that was easily felt under Harry's well-made shoes. The group walked to the top of the great entrance stairs, which Harry noted were both made of marble and fairly well reinforced. The group crowed around the oak doors, Hagrid turned back to the group.

"Are you all ready?" He asked playfully, getting a quick nod from most of the frightened first years. "Good, you still have your toad?" He asked the chubby boy who nodded. The giant of a man turned back to the oak doors before pulling back one of his massive hands and forming a fist, a fist that Harry was willing to admit looked like it could pulverise his insides reinforcement or no reinforcement. The giant knocked on the doors three times, Harry smiled, this was it, it all began here.

The two gigantic doors groaned before opening. Inside stood a tall witch with an imposing aura, green robes and black hair. Harry smiled she looked like someone that could handle herself; good he liked people like that. They were not the kind you wanted to cross lightly however.

"Firs years Professor McGonagall" Hagrid told the woman respectfully.

"Thank you Hagrid" the newly know McGonagall replied. An honest tone in her voice, "I will take them from here." She stated Hagrid smiled at the Professor and walked inside. The stern looking woman opened the doors a little wider, not that it was really necessary. Before ushering them inside, the entrance hall was large Harry would most definitely give it that. In fact it could probably fit more than one above average sized homes into the floor space.

The young Enforcer was not dumb enough to try structurally grasping the entire castle so it seemed he would have to do it room by room. His Prana was sent out and Harry was not overly surprised at what he found. The room was reinforced a little but not a lot and a variety of wards accompanied that information. One of them allowed whoever was in charge of the castle to forcibly evict someone from the premises, provided that they knew what room the person was in. Another prevented a certain type of translocation but allowed another; it was all very impressive really.

Harry made a mental note to write a report on the wards and sent it back to the Clock Tower as a piece of reference materials on Bounded Fields created by Wizards. Hmm, considering the different applications he could see already for some of these wards perhaps he should suggest that Waver take it up as a field of study or assign someone to it. God knew that it was certainly a large enough field to need multiple people studying it.

The Professor led the group of first years into a small side room, well small in comparison to the entrance hall. Harry could hear voices coming from behind another of the large oak doors; it seemed that the rest of the school was already seated inside. It seemed that the sorting into the school houses would be done in front of the entire school, unsurprising but he was will to bet that it was a little daunting for most.

The stern faced Professor faced the crowd of children. "First" she stated "allow me to welcome you all to Hogwarts. The start of year feast will begin shortly but before that you will need to be sorted into your houses. This can be considered especially important as your house can be considered your family while you are inside Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your houses dormitory and spend your free time in your houses common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding Witches and Wizards" McGonagall stared hard at the new arrivals for a second trying to drive her point home.

"While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will result in a loss of house points. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour." Harry thought about that for a second and the more he thought about it the more he didn't like it. Okay he did understand that the teachers were in a bit of a catch 22 situation.

On the one hand they did need to reward students that did the right thing. On the other hand things like the house cup and the point system would make it hard, at the very least, to form friendships outside of your own house. Harry tuned back in as the Professor continued.

"I hope that each of you become a credit to whatever house you are sorted into. The sorting ceremony will take place soon in front of the rest of the school. So that your prospective house mates can at the very least put a face to your name. I suggest you smarten yourselves up while you have the time so that you can make a good first impression." Her eyes lingered on the chubby boy's cloak before turning to Harry and her eyes narrowed before widening. "So you're the Magus" she muttered so no one else could hear, Harry gave a discreet nod back. Iri adding her own two cents by hooting.

The Professor shook herself slightly. "I will be back for all of you when we are ready." She told them before turning on heel and walking out of the room head held high. Then the whispering started and some moron said something about wrestling a troll, moron. Though Harry did have to wonder if he would get to fight a troll one of these days. It would probably be interesting, he could hear other people whispering about what the test could be and tuned them out. A small tug was felt on his sleeve and Harry found himself looking into the pale green eyes of Daphne Greengrass.

"I know what we have to do" she stated lowly. Harry's eyebrow rose.

"And you would share that information?" He asked, though she could hear the good natured humour in his tone.

"To my partner? Yes, yes I would. The test, if you can call it that, is administered by a hat. Magically enchanted to be able to look through your mind and decide where you are to be placed based on your personality traits." Daphne told him, Harry nodded. That honestly didn't sound too bad though it would be added to his report.

"Your partner?" He asked, "It is a little early to be considering our agreement a partnership is it not?"

Daphne sighed "you are probably right." She admitted "but every relationship, especially those in business, are built on trust to some degree or another. Consider this my way of extending the olive branch as it were."

Harry nodded "thank you, Daphne. Your information is most helpful" he replied. Formal tone off put by the almost unnoticeable smile playing around his lips. Now one should make no mistake Harry was extremely business like and professional when he was on the job as it were. However his personality when off the job tended to gravitate more towards the sarcastic and teasing side of the emotional spectrum. Side effect of growing up around adults that loved and appreciated the idea of irony and black humour, so virtually every Enforcer in the employ of the Clock Tower.

A scream sounded from behind him and Harry twisted around faster than most people could see. Prana was already flowing through his Magic Circuits ready to form a sword at a moment's notice. The black haired Enforcer in training immediately calmed down again when he saw what had caused said screaming. Around twenty ghosts had just phased through the wall above the collective first year's heads.

They flew above the group, pearly white and barely looking at them. Though some did spare the first years a glance, two in particular were engrossed in heavy conversation. "Forgive and forget I say, surely we can give him a second chance-" A large portly ghost in the outfit of a medieval monk was saying.

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights countered. "He gives all of us a bad name and you know that he's not even really a ghost." The tight wearing ghost looked like he was about to continue but noticed the students below him and smiled. "I say what are all of you doing here?" He asked in a jovial tone, he probably already knew the answer and was just trying to get the conversation started.

"New students!" The fat Friar exclaimed, a giant grin almost splitting his face. "I do hope that I see some of you in Hufflepuff, my old house you know!" He told all of the first years excitedly.

"Move along now!" The stern voice of Professor McGonagall cut through whatever else the ghost was about to say like a hot knife through butter. "The sorting ceremony is about to start" she continued, getting an understanding nod from the ghosts who proceeded to leave through the opposite wall. "Form a single line and follow me" she called out before walking off, not a single first year student disobeyed her.

The line walked through the doors of the great hall and Harry whistled in appreciation. The entire room was a Mystic Code. A gigantic Mystic Code, the very walls of the hall drew in the ambient Prana of the planet, Mana, and converted it into power. After which it used this power to do two things, the first allowed the ceiling to make a perfect replication of the sky outside and the second allowed the candles floating in mid-air to stay afloat constantly. Harry was starting to get the feeling that he would be making more reports than he originally thought he would need to.

Something was bugging him though, even if he took what he had sensed and seen so far to there logical extreme, the entire castle being a gigantic Mystic Code, it still didn't explain everything. Sure it would absorb the ambient Prana around it but eventually the Mana would run out and Mana took a lot of time to recollect so it shouldn't be possible for the castle's Mystic Codes to have ran for so long. Unless the castle was built on a layline but according to the maps the nearest layline stopped kilometres before it hit the castle. Unless they, oh that was smart. He had no idea if he was right as it was all speculation but Harry was fairly sure of his guess was on the money. Now if only he could prove it.

As for the hall itself well say it was large would be somewhat of an understatement. Four long tables were set up in the middle of the hall, each holding a somewhat extravagant amount of golden goblets and plates. At the very front of the hall sat the teachers table, but unlike the others this table looked out over the entire room rather than to the walls. Professor McGonagall set a small chair down in front of the first years before placing on it a dirty hat. Harry couldn't help but sigh, he just knew his report was about to get longer yet again.

The hat just sat there for a moment before its brim opened then it did the last thing he was expecting, the hat began to sing.

"_Oh you may not think I'm pretty._

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat_

_And I can cap them all!_

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The sorting hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I call tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave of heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry _

_Set Gryffindors apart!_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_Where they are just and loyal_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil!_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind!_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends!_

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands, _

_Though I have none!_

_For I'm a thinking cap!"_

Harry couldn't help but sigh, this was turning into one hell of a report. Still the hat was a most unique Mystic Code, to think these Wizards had actually been able to give an inanimate object a form of sentience. Not that it was impossible to do so for Magi but it would need to be looked into and a comparison made.

The Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It seemed that this occurrence must be a yearly thing, the hat actually bowed to each of the four tables before becoming inert again. McGonagall stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment, why did they use parchment? Sure he could understand the ink and quills after all drawing a Rune with your blood added to the ink can increase its power. But still, why the hell did they need parchment? Not even the Clock Tower still used that, and as every Enforcer knew, the Clock Tower was at least twenty years behind the rest of the world when it came to technology.

McGonagall surveyed the assembled first years with a stern gaze that could easily cow most of them. "When I call your name, you will come up and put on the hat to be sorted." She told the collection of first years before looking down at her parchment. "Abbott, Hannah" Mcgonagall called out. The pink faced girl with her blond hair up in pig tails that had been in the same boat as both he and Daphne ran up to the stool. Placing the hat on her head, this promptly made it fall down over her eyes.

The hall went close to silent; the hat seemed to muse for a second before its brim opened wide "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat roared, the table on the right cheered and Harry could see the Fat Friar waving merrily at the girl.

"Bones, Susan"

The hat took very little time to decide this time "HUFFLEPUFF!" It called out again, causing the table to once again erupt into cheers. Susan scuttled off the stool and took a seat next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry"

"RAVENCLAW!" This time the table on the left erupted into cheers as Terry joined, several standing up to shake his hand.

And so the sorting continued 'Brocklehurst, Mandy' went to Ravenclaw as well. While 'Brown, Lavender' became the first of the new Gryffindors. This caused the table on the far left to explode into cheers and whistles of congratulations.

'Bulstrode, Millicent' became the first Slytherin. Harry looked over to the table on the far right that was clapping reservedly. He knew the looks most of them sported, self-important, condescending, in short the kind of people he was going to have to rein his temper in around unless he wanted a murder charge put on him.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Harry was starting to notice that the hat took more time with some than others. Was this because they had more than one defining trait or was it something else?

"Granger, Hermione!"

The girl ran eagerly to the stool and placed the hat on her head, the hat seemed to muse for a second before shouting "GRYFFINDOR!" A groan sounded from behind him, seemingly coming from a rather tall red head with a lot of freckles. A few more people were called and then it was Daphne's turn and Harry knew he would be soon.

"Greengrass Daphne," Harry's face didn't change in the slightest however inside he was quite interested in where she would end up. The hat seemed to debate for a minute before the brim ripped open and it roared "SLYTHERIN!" The heiress to the Greengrass family walked off the stool to sit in the centre of a group of girls and Harry tuned back out as more names were called. Iri still sitting dutifully on his shoulder, her red eyes crinkled in amusement at the actions of the humans around her.

"No last name, Harry" called out McGonagall. The black haired Enforcer ignored the looks he got, both from his suit, lack of a last name and of course Iri. Who still refused to leave his shoulder, while he walked up to the hat. He sat down and placed it on his head. Causing the hat to once again slip down over a child's eyes. He could feel Iri move on his shoulder a little to allow the hat a little more room.

A voice sounded in his ear "well, well, well, now what do we have here? A Magus unless I miss my guess. Could you please lower your mental shields so that I may sort you?" The sly voice asked Harry raised an eyebrow; the Mystic Code was talking to him? "Indeed I am Harry" the hat told him "indeed I am." It seemed to consider something for a second.

"I will lower my barriers if you make me a thrice bound oath that you will not reveal my secrets or the Clock Towers." Harry told the hat, which gave him the metal equivalent of a smile.

"Very well then," the hat told him. "I William Manning Victoria Percival Onactomin Povel do here by swear by my magic, my name and my blood not to reveal any of the secrets of Harry, no last name. Unless I am given his express permission." The hat, now known as William, finished.

Harry smiled and lowered his barriers; they were not going to get anywhere if he didn't after all. "So full of secrets you are my young Enforcer," the hat told him. "So full of secrets and pointy metal objects, but where to put you now that is the real question."

William went silent again. "My, my, you are difficult to place now aren't you? So many different contradictions inside your head. You do not really fit anywhere, too many different traits to be sorted quickly."

"Really?" Harry asked lowly in reply, and felt himself get what could only be called the mental equivalent of a nod.

"Indeed, Hufflepuff is out. You are most definitely loyal, I give you that. Especially to the woman named Lorelei Barthomeloi, to the point where one could almost call you fanatical. But on the other hand towards people you don't know you are immensely distrustful, to the point of paranoia. That being said that paranoia is what has kept you alive more than once so I suppose it is understandable."

Harry smiled slightly at what the hat was saying.

"Gryffindor is out too, you are certainly brave enough. Dead Apostles, the Dead, Vampires, and more, you thrive in situations that would send lesser men insane. But you are still not fit to be in brave Gryffindor because your personality rejects one of the houses major tenants. The idea of chivalry, the idea that one method of fighting is right and another wrong is alien to you, you cannot accept it because of that reason. So you cannot be a Gryffindor either, how tricky you are young Harry."

William took the mental equivalent of a breath. "You could make it as a Ravenclaw, you do want to learn and you have one of the sharpest minds I have ever encountered. With a tongue to match I might add." The hat said chuckling, "But your need and want to learn magic is tied to the woman who most holds your loyalty Lorelei Barthomeloi. Still Ravenclaw is an option." Harry nodded in acceptance.

"Finally we have Slytherin. As in Ravenclaw you could make it here. You are certainly cunning enough to do so. However your only real ambition is to make the woman Lorelei Barthomeloi proud of you, you really are a broken human Harry. To have so much of your mind and emotions linked to this once woman you would have to be, still I'm not one to judge. Hmmm, now where to put you?" It mused; Harry chose to break in on its musing.

"William" Harry started, causing the hat to stop its musing.

"Yes Harry?" William asked.

"Do any of the houses have personal bedrooms because if they do then I want to be there." Harry told the hat, who seemed to be holding in excessive amounts of laughter at that statement.

"Personal bedrooms," William stated, chuckles making their way into his tone. "Very well then I know where you need to go now, better be."

"SLYTHERIN!" William roared to the heaven's "you'll have your bedroom there" the hat added in his mind.

"Thank you William," Harry told the hat before pulling it off his head and joining the table at the far left of the hall that was applauding reservedly.

Harry sat down at an unoccupied end of the table, near no one and sat back waiting for the next person to be called. True he could have gone and sat next to Daphne but honestly he couldn't be bothered with dealing with all the people around her. Not to mention they were not friends, it was more of a very shaky alliance.

The chubby boy that Harry found out was called Longbottom, what a strange name, went to Gryffindor. He watched the moron he had been ready to fight earlier walk up to the stool his name was Mal- something, Harry couldn't remember. William had barely touched the boys head before he screamed Slytherin. Harry held in a sigh, he could already tell this was going to be a pain. The pale faced boy went to join his two gorillas; Harry couldn't remember their names either. He was fairly certain that with the way that they acted that he would be hurting them at some point. Oh well, such is life.

There were not many people left for sorting now, it seemed that William's job was almost over for another year. The names continued, Moon, Nott, Parkinson, a pair of twin girls called Patil, Perks and then came a call that made the entire room go quiet. "Potter, Abigail," McGonagall called out. The houses waited with baited breath as a girl with messy shoulder length hair and bright blue eyes sat on the stool. William seemed to be musing as he had done with Harry, all the while the houses were in hushed conversation. Saying things like 'THE Abigail Potter?' and 'Is it really her' Harry couldn't hold in a grimace.

He had no idea who the girl was but she was obviously famous. He would need to find out why, everyone seemed to know her and heard the words 'Dark Lord' and 'You-Know-Who' several times. He would be looking into getting a contemporary history book to find out exactly what the hell they were talking about, he had only bothered brushing up on his school books so far.

William's brim opened "GRYFFINDOR!" The hat screamed to the heavens above. The Potter heir got the loudest cheer yet with many of the Gryffindors yelling that 'they got Potter!' Again Harry felt the need for some context, though he did see several of the people at the Slytherin table look at the girl with venom, notably that Mal-somthing. That was interesting, that was very interesting.

Harry directed his attention to the high table as Dumbledore called for attention, after Zabini, Blasie had been sorted into Slytherin. The old headmaster stood his venerable silver beard and hair catching the candle light as he smiled widely at the hall. Harry thought he looked like the grandfatherly type. Not that it meant much, after all uncle Nic and aunty Pern could look like the grandfatherly and grandmotherly type when they wanted. Still didn't stop them from kicking the crap out of him when they were around and he was training. He could feel the phantom pain in his body even as he thought of the torture, he meant training, sessions.

"Welcome! Welcome!" Dumbledore told the assembled masses in a carrying voice. Actually it made Harry wonder, was Dumbledore's voice really carrying or was that a spell? "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" Everyone clapped and cheered, Harry just sat in quiet contemplation of just what kind of mad house he had inadvertently walked into.

Then the black haired Enforcer noticed the food on the serving plates before him and raised a single eyebrow. They had translocated the food; he needed to find out how they did that. If Wizard's could translocate items easily Harry would need to figure out how and send a report back to the Clock Tower. This could be a major breakthrough for Thaumaturgy!

When dinner was over and the last of the dessert had finally disappeared Dumbledore stood again and looked over the assembled hall. "Just a few more words now that you are all fed and watered" he told the masses good-naturedly. "First years should note that the forbidden forest is out of bounds, the word forbidden should give that away but the older years always need reminding." Harry swore that Dumbledore's eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor table for a second when he said that.

"I have also been asked by our resident caretaker Mr Filch, to remind you all that magic is not to be used in the corridors between classes." Dumbledore added, Harry shrugged he could live with that after all beating people down shouldn't take any more than his fists if he wished to keep his pride as an Enforcer. Especially when his opponents were these sickly soft children that had yet to even spill blood, using magic or his Magecraft against them would have been beyond petty. "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term and anyone who is interested in playing for their house team should see Madam Hooch. Also the third floor corridor on the right hand side is off limits this year, to all those that do not wish to die a most painful death." Harry couldn't help but smile, he found the stone. He had honestly thought that would be harder.

"Finally I would like to welcome one Harry no last name to Hogwarts" Dumbledore stated turning to the young Enforcer who grimaced. He had been hoping to avoid this at least for a while, Iri hooted glumly on his shoulder. "A Magus that is joining us from the Mages Association, it is the first time we have had a Magi inside these walls as a student so please make him feel welcome." Harry sighed, ignoring the looks the other tables, and his own, were giving him. "And now before bed let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore called out.

Now it may have been Harry's imagination but he could swear that the other teacher's smiles had become forced at the mention of the school song, when he saw the lyrics he could tell why. "Everyone pick your favourite tune, and off we go!" The school bellowed in response to their headmasters words.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts!

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until all our brains rot!"

The last two finish the song were two red heads that looked like twins singing in a slow funeral march, Dumbledore conducted their last few lines. "Ah music," the old man mused out loud, "a magic beyond all we teach here. Now bed time, off you trot!" The Slytherin first years followed a rather, well there's no nice way to put this, ugly Prefect by the name of Marcus Flint to their common room.

Which Harry quickly found was located in the dungeon's, directly opposite a picture of a snake wrapped around a sword. Well at least the entrance would be easy to remember. Flint looked at the wall opposite the painting "Wolfbane" he spoke out clearly and the wall shuddered before a section of it withdrew into the floor. Flint waved the first years inside telling them to walk straight through the first room.

The first room as it turned out was a rather large common room. With stone floors and a few scattered leather sofas and chairs. The second room however was both more eerie and more homely. Iri however hooted in contentment as they entered the room. It was large and while it still had a stone floor most of it was covered by a rather large green rug. Several tables were set up with green leather chairs around them, set up for student to do homework in. A fire crackled merrily in the fire place at the far end of the room, with a carving of a snake above it. A pair of windows looked out into water, and Harry could only assume they were at least partly under the lake. The water outside helped bathe the room in a green glow, Flint walked in front of the assembled first years and looked them all over.

"Okay ground rules" the Prefect told them. "First and for most, Slytherin is almost universally hated by the other houses. Thanks to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named coming from our house the others see all of us as either the next generation of Death Eaters or, God forbid, the next Dark Lord." Flint told them, taking care to look each and every student in the eyes.

"Due to this fact as Slytherins you are expected to show a united front at all times. I do not care if you want to kill the person you are standing next to, if they are in trouble for the love of God bail them out. We do not need more hate than we already have so please support each other unless the person is doing something so ridiculously stupid that helping will just result in more hate, in that case just leave them to hang. If you have a problem with your fellow Slytherin students they are to be resolved inside, and I cannot stress this enough, inside the common room, do not let the other students see you acting without unity."

Flint took a deep breath "failure to head that particular piece of advice will result in a week's worth of detention with our head of house. We do not care if you have problems with each other, just settle them where the other houses cannot see you or else." The Prefect rubbed his forehead.

"Other than that don't be morons, keep out of trouble as much as you can. The password to the common room is changed biweekly and is available three days before the change on the bulletin board in the first room. Your rooms are individual and may be decorated as you like your keys can be found inside said rooms, keep those on you at all times as they are a bitch to replace." Flint waved a hand towards a doorway.

"Your rooms are through there, each room has its own desk, shower and bathroom. If you break anything you are expected to replace it yourself, it is your problem not the schools. Unless it is a mechanical malfunction then talk to our head of house professor Snape and he will sort it out. You can find your time tables inside your rooms that will be all." Flint finished and walked through the doorway he indicated. Harry stood up and stretched before walking after the Prefect, he wanted sleep dammit. Answering the general populous questions about Magecraft, or in his case telling the general populous to mind their own god damn business, could wait till morning.

Harry found his room quickly enough; it was easy the room had the name 'Harry' on a plaque. The inside was fairly interesting, mostly decorated in green but other than that it was exactly what Flint promised. A single mahogany desk with a key on it, four-poster bed, his trunk and a wardrobe, Harry could see a door that led to what would be his bathroom. The black haired Enforcer in training opened his mouth, "Trace On" Harry's entire body felt suffused with heat as Prana ran through his circuits. His mind formed an image, just a basic kitchen knife; he ran through the steps of his projection Magecraft and the knife dropped into his waiting left hand.

Harry wasted no time in cutting his thumb and applying several Runic Formulas to the door, one of which made the door only able to be opened by him, while another identified who had tried to open the door, amongst other things. They were amongst the first Runic Formula's that any Enforcer, or prospective Enforcer, was taught. Harry smiled and immediately jumped into his bed, right now he just wanted to sleep. Iri, as expected, had not left him since his arrival and lay on her masters chest to sleep herself.

**XXX**

In the coming days one would probably assume that Harry would gravitate towards Daphne, being that she was the only person that he knew and that conversely Daphne would gravitate towards Harry for the same reason. This did not happen, one reason being that Daphne did actually know other people in Slytherin and two, the alliance of the Witch and the Magus was one of shadows and as any competent person could tell you. An alliance of shadows worked best when no one really knew who was involved in it.

However while Harry did not spend copious amounts of time around Daphne, that did not mean that did not help each other. A good example of this would be that when Harry just happened to mention a subject that he wished to know more on in the range of Daphne's hearing a list of books that could be found on it would just appear on the front of his door. Occasionally even the books themselves would appear by a random postage owl in the morning. And when Daphne was bothered too much by either suitors or people looking to form alliances with her family, she may have discreetly mentioned them near Harry.

She certainly had no idea why all the people she mentioned went missing briefly only to appear elsewhere in the castle lacking the vast majority of their clothing and in compromising positions. Which to this day included, kissing each other's asses, one fifth year male woke up in a major intersection just as a class ended with his best friends penis in his mouth leading to numerous rumours about his sexuality from those who exited the nearby class rooms. And, though no one could figure out how, one Slytherin male had been stripped completely naked and chained to the ceiling of the faculty office, there was a rather large betting pool concerning that one. Another curious fact is that none of them could remember how they got there. All of their last memories were the same though. A beautiful red head was walking up to them wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt and then, nothing.

Then there were the teachers and the lessons themselves, Harry personally liked Professors Flitwick and McGonagall. Though he had yet to have a class with his own head of house, who apparently favoured Slytherin while chewing up and spitting out the other houses, Harry couldn't help but wonder the reason for that.

His first Transfiguration lesson would be a day he would always treasure though. He could still remember the event in absolutely perfect detail.

Professor MacGonagall stood at the front of the class looking stern. "Transfiguration is some of the most difficult and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," She said. "Anyone caught fooling around in my class will be told to leave and not come back." She accented her statement by turning her desk into a pig and back again, Harry immediately used structural grasping on the desk. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, his mouth dropping open in absolute awe of what he had just learned.

OH DEAR SWEET ROOT OF THE WORLD AND THAT BLESSED WHORE THAT FELT HEAVEN!

**MOLECULAR RECONSTRUCTION!**

HIS FIRST CLASS HAD JUST PROVED TO HIM THAT MOLECULAR RECONSTRUCTION WAS POSSIBLE, OH DEAR SWEET HEAVENS FEEL!

Harry had to suppress a moan of almost sexual pleasure at the knowledge he had just come across. Screw the other reports he had to write, this one came first!

Ah that was a good day.

The defence against the dark arts lessons were complete bullshit for Harry. That being said he hadn't really expected much else, from what he understood other than he was a Magus the Wizards knew nothing. Such as him being trained as an Enforcer. So it was only natural that he already knew, or outclassed by several orders of magnitude, what Quirrell was trying to teach, still you couldn't win them all.

It was within this time frame, at some point that he was not forcing people to commit acts of public indecency, that Harry had his first potions lesson.

The Potions class was held in the dungeons close to the Slytherin common room. Which made it a rather dreary and more than a little depressing, really what was wrong with adding some colour to the place?

The Professor, one Severus Snape, was if nothing else a rather vindictive person. When he entered the Potions class room, cloak billowing out behind him he took a single disgusted look at the class before turning to the roll. His demeanour changed however when he saw Harry. Snape's face flicked through a number of emotions ranging from, hate to despair to confusion then back to hate before coming to rest at apathy. What the hell had that been about? The potions master continued down the list of names before coming to a certain person. "Ah," the Professor said still looking at the roll. "Abigail Potter, our new celebrity."

Harry's eyes flicked to the black haired girl with messy hair, he knew what she was famous for now. The defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort, who the hell called themselves Voldemort. It sounded ridiculous, really was their nothing better the man could have chosen. Harry's eyes flipped back to Snape, who's face was showing an odd mixture between fondness and complete and utter hatred. What the hell was going on there?

When Snape finally finished calling the roll he looked over the class quickly. "You are here to learn the exact art and subtle science of potion-making." The greasy haired man stated, his eyes boring into every person in the room. Like Lorelei Barthomeloi and Minerva McGonagall it seemed that Severus Snape had the gift of keeping people quiet without really trying.

"As there is little use for foolish wand waving here I believe that many of you will barely believe it is magic. I do not expect you will understand the beauty of a simmering cauldron with its simmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the blood veins of others, bewitching the mind and ensnaring the senses." Snape continued, looking at each member of the class with a mixture of contempt and interest.

Harry had to stifle a laugh there, he already had the power to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses and all it too was a single look into his eyes. Still his power was not infallible, a person with a sharp mind may be able to find flaws in an illusion that he placed them in and free themselves and against a competent user of Occlumency his illusions would not even be able to take root at his current level of proficiency.

"I will teach you to bottle fame, brew glory and even stopper death- if you are all not as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach" Snape added at the end. Silence followed Snapes speech and the potion master looked around the room with a vicious gaze. "Potter!" He snapped causing Abigail to sit up straighter. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Abigail gulped her mouth dry "Draught the Living Death, sir" she stated. Harry nodded, she didn't stutter, it seemed their was steel inside the girl. Good.

Snape nodded curtly "no name" he snapped, Harry sighed. Really was he really going to call him that? "Where would I find a Bezoar?"

Harry smiled at the potions master in his sarcastic way "in the stomach of a goat, sir." Harry told the potions Professor, the black haired Enforcer in training was starting to lean towards being politely professional to the potions master. He couldn't be his sarcastic self to a teacher no matter how much he may want to be, that would reflect badly on Lorelei, Harry would not allow that to happen.

"Very good no name" Snape snapped at the black haired Enforcer who nodded back politely. Slightly alleviating the hate that the potions master felt towards the child who looked so much like the man he hated. "Weasly, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Harry felt sorry for the red head, he really did, to be honest Snape really wasn't being to bad. A prick certainly but not too bad. Everything he had asked had been in the first ten chapters of _one thousand magical herbs and fungi_, however the relationship between monkshood and wolfsbane was only mentioned in a single sentence, if what Harry could remember was correct. Where as the Draught of Living Death and Bezoar were mentioned several times, if the red head knew the answer it would likely be complete luck.

"I don't know sir" the red head, Harry thought his name was Ron, spoke up. The black haired Enforcer to be had to congratulate the kid, at least in his head, he had the balls to man up and admit that he didn't know something rather than try to bullshit his way through it.

"I see" Snape stated, before turning around and walking back behind his desk. "For you information Weasly monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant and also go by the name of aconite. Well what are you all waiting for!?" Snape demanded "write that down!" He hissed out at the class.

Things did not improve for the Gryffindors either as the lesson went on. Snape would stalk around the class, cloak flaring out behind him and making the potions master look like a giant bat, sneering at the potions that the Gryffindors created. While occasionally deducting points from the house of Lions while giving points to his own for reasons such as 'crushing snake fangs with flair.'

The Professor had assigned them into pairs and Harry found himself working with the black haired blue eyed girl from before. That was a good thing in the Enforcer in training's opinion, the girl had steel in her after all and that was always a good thing. There was not much conversation between the two, just the basic introducing themselves then getting to work. Not that Harry really felt the need for conversation, not because the girl was a Gryffindor. Honestly he could not care less about that, but the reason was that he was at Hogwarts to do a job, well several jobs really.

He had agreed to Daphne's idea of an alliance or partnership because her family was well connected and mostly worked in the shadows. That was perfect for the Enforcer as it would allow him to move in the background without attracting too much attention, which was his preferred method of operation.

It was the exact opposite when it came to the family of The-Girl-Who-Lived. Yes they were well connected, yes they were politically powerful, yes they would be good allies. Problem, they were firmly on the 'light' side of the spectrum. Which meant that he would either need to curb, or put a permanent stop to, any of the more shady activities that he could be involved in if an alliance with the house of Potter was going to work.

That was not going to happen, he was an Enforcer. A dog of the Clock Tower, it was the job of an Auror to hunt down and apprehend dark Wizards. It was the job of an Enforcer to hunt down and kill those that risked the exposure of Magecraft to the world. Then destroy any evidence of them, though as much of his targets research should be preserved as possible. A fundamental difference between the two jobs.

Considering that the Potter family was firmly 'light', as it were, there were more down sides to stopping his shady dealings for an alliance then just not having an alliance, especially when one considered Harry's career choice. So the girl would be spoken to civilly but probably never befriended.

The remainder of the potions class went quickly, discounting one exploding cauldron. Said cauldron sending three people to the infirmary with burns and boils, Harry had grabbed Mal-somethings' copy of _one thousand magical herbs and fungi _from the desk behind him and thrown it between him and the oncoming airborne potion, leaving him realitively well protected. The fact that it pissed Mal-something off was just an added bonus, he really would have to learn his name one day.

The class ended soon after and Harry and his black haired partner exchanged a quick and civil goodbye, it seemed that she lacked the inherent hate of Slytherin that seemed so prominent in other Gryffindors. Though Harry did wonder why seeing the girl triggered a sense of nostalgia, still it wasn't something that bore looking into so he ignored it.

Harry couldn't help but sigh as he walked into his room inside of the Slytherin dorm. It was still mostly the same except for a few personal additions. Such as a Playstation Portable, Fate/Extra thoughtfully included in the bundle that Iri had delivered to him from Waver.

Normally electrical devices would not work due to the wards at Hogwarts, however the same wards were used in the Clock Tower in certain area's so Harry had a lot of practice circumventing them. As such the casing of the PSP had a series of runes engraved on to it cancelling the effect of the wards, while the battery of the device had been altered to allow him to charge it using Prana.

The other two things that Harry had personalised the room with was a kettle and plunger with some very good ground coffee beans in a bag next to them and an emerald that worked like a communication device from Harry to the Clock Tower. Which he only used when he had to, so far Harry had found no use for it.

Speaking of Iri the albino owl was resting in his room, a paper on the desk. He looked over to the Daily Prophet and a look of curiosity overcame Harry's features.

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of a dark Witch's or Wizard's. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken from the vault. The vault in question having been emptied earlier that day. Gringotts has refused to comment on what the vault contained, why it was removed or who owns the vault. _

After that the article degraded into speculation and rumour. Harry could guess what was in that vault, the Philosophers Stone. The timing was just too perfect, the vault robbed on the day the stone was transported. It was common sense that an item was most vulnerable at two times, one was just before transit and the other was during transit. Of course this could just be his paranoid streak acting up but it felt like something more. That meant he already had an enemy that was going after the stone.

Now he just had to narrow down who it was, it had to be a Hogwarts faculty member. Harry's reasoning was simple, Nic would not have told anyone where the stone was, Dumbledore however would have had to tell someone so that they could retrieve the stone. This may have been over heard or found out in some way by someone else. When one took into consideration that Dumbledore would not have told anyone outside of an area he considered to be safe, e.g. Hogwarts, that meant that the person that tried to steal the stone was most likely a member of the Hogwarts faculty.

Granted there were other options and Harry would plan for them appropriately but a faculty member made the most sense with the information that he had. Still it was time for him to take a more active roll in the protection of the stone. The black haired boy sat at his desk and pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill, first though he would need to design the kinds of Runic Wards that he would need. All the while making a mental note to pick up some normal paper and a ball point pen.

**XXX**

Harry was normally a fairly calm person. But Malfoy, he had finally remembered the morons name two days earlier, was quickly making his temper hit its breaking point. The reason his temper was about to hit breaking point? Flying lessons. Malfoy would not shut up about how good a flyer he was, telling rather long and outrageous stories about his prowess, all of which seemed to end with him narrowly avoiding a helicopter.

All of which were also complete bullshit, especially when Malfoy described the device. 'It had a propeller on the bottom that allowed it to stay in the air using the primitive muggle arts and a pair of wings the somehow allowed it to move in the air' was how the ponce described the helicopter to his pureblood friends. Moron, it was really becoming a chore for Harry not to do the world a public service and end the blond morons life.

The other reason was Quidditch, they would not shut up about the damned sport. 'Oh its amazing' and 'best sport ever' would it kill people to shut up about it for five, just five, goddamn minutes. The sport could not be that damned good, that being said what Harry considered to be exiting was watching two Magi duel. Not much was really considered to be exiting compared against that. Still the sport could not be that damn impressive, then again he had been wrong before. The only thing that Harry could see the flying lesson help him with is finding out how exactly the Mystic Code that was a broom worked.

On that note why brooms? He supposed it didn't really matter. Harry was glad that no one tried to interrogate him about Magecraft any more, he supposed getting told to 'fuck off' repetitively helped stop people from asking.

It was at breakfast on the day that the Slytherin house had their flying lesson with the Gryffindors that Harry knew something was about to go horribly wrong. The moronic blond had tried, and failed because he was not aware of his surroundings, to steal Longbottom's Mystic Code. A Remembrall, a small glass sphere that turned red if you forgot something. That had happened at breakfast and Harry felt that it was kind of like God telling him that the day was just going to get worse. Still on the up side he had finished designing the kind of Bounded Field that he wanted to set up over the room leading to the stone. He would set it up in the next few days, tonight would be good if it wasn't Snape's inspection night, damn his greasy hide.

At three thirty Harry followed the other Slytherins, at a much more sedate pace than the others, as they went to their first flying lesson. Unlike when he went into potions Iri was sitting on Harry's left shoulder. He got the feeling that she didn't like the dungeons and only put up with them because she had to considering where he was living but was not about to spend any more time down there voluntarily than she had to.

It was a clear day, light breeze, the students assembled on the low cut grass at the front of the school the forbidden forest clear in the background. forty brooms lay on the ground, it seemed that the Slytherins were the first there, not that it meant much. Harry had heard the older years complaining about the school brooms, apparently they vibrated if you flew to high or always moved slightly to the left. Harry and the other nineteen Slytherins took up a place next to the brooms.

They didn't have long to wait, the Gryffindors coming out five minutes later and taking a place near the remaining twenty brooms. Harry noticed that some of them looked very nervous while the Potter heiress seemed completely relaxed, perhaps she had done this before?

Harry threw his head over to the front gates of the castle, a woman with short grey hair and yellow eyes like a hawk. Harry also got the feeling that she could be a real hardass when she wanted to be, that was fine, you learned more from teachers like that. Even if you hated them at them time. "Stick your right hand over the boom and say up" Madam Hooch called from the front of the class. A chorus of the word 'UP!' being shouted could be heard from inside the castle, Harry was sure.

The black haired child also noted that his broom was one of the few that jumped straight into his hand, and as far as he knew out of those few he was the only one without prior experience. Harry couldn't help but wonder why that was and while waiting for the others used a quick bout of structural grasping on the broom in his hand. All all of the Wizard made Mystic Codes he had come across so far the broom worked by absorbing the ambient Prana of the planet, Mana, and then using it to create a form of weightlessness on the broom and rider. From that point on the broom was staying afloat on its own but actually used a minuscule amount of power from the rider to go forward, backwards and sideways.

All that being said however that minuscule amount of power was supplemented by the Prana that the broom was drawing in and when that was converted into power it allowed for the high speeds that some brooms were capable of. Harry also noted that the brooms were somewhat like a dog or a horse, they could tell when the rider didn't really want to do something by the sound of their voice and reacted accordingly. A good example would be if someone told the broom up but only half meant it then the broom would do nothing more than roll around on the ground. But if the same person told the broom up and meant it then the broom would leap into their hands, much like his own had done.

When everyone had managed to get their brooms off the ground Madam Hooch told them how to mount the broom correctly. Harry had to stifle a laugh when she told Malfoy that he had been doing it wrong for years.

Madam Hooch stood at the front of the class, yellow eyes watching them all and causing some of the more uncertain students to flinch when they met her gaze. "Now, when I blow my whistle, kick off the ground and hover a few feet before coming back down by leaning forward on the broom slightly." The flight instructor told them. Longbottom, who had seemed nervous and jumpy that whole class now that Harry thought about it, kicked off the ground before the whistle had even touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"COME BACK BOY!" She shouted as Longbottom kept rising higher and higher. Kind of like a cork out of a champaign bottle. Ten feet, fifteen feet, twenty feet, which if his memory served him correctly was about six meters. Longbottom gasped and slipped off the side of his broom and slammed straight into the ground, Harry heard a crunch. A bone or two was broken, he was guessing Longbottom's wrist considering that he was face down and groaning.

Harry looked back to the broom, which was lazily flying out over the forbidden forest. He doubted they would be getting that back. Madam Hooch turned over Longbottom, Harry made a mental note to learn his first name one day, "broken wrist" he heard her mutter. It seemed that he had been right in his assumption of the injury. "Come on boy" Madam Hooch told Longbottom kindly while pulling him to his feet.

The yellow eyed flying instructor looked at the class "I will have to take Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing." She told the assembled students "no one is to use the brooms before I get back or you will be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch." She growled out while walking away, Longbottom walking along side her.

Harry sighed and walked over to a nearby wall, leaving his broom where it was and sitting down before leaning against it. No point in standing around if he didn't have to, Iri flew off his shoulder and on to his lap as he took a seat against the stone wall. Harry started counting backwards from ten when he saw Malfoy start to smirk, everything was about to go to hell in three, two, one.

"Did you see the great lumps face" Malfoy yelled, clutching his stomach while he laughed. Harry sighed.

Bingo.

Not that Harry made any move to stop the ridicule, Longbottom had friends in Gryffindor let them handle the mess. He already had to put up with Slytherin morons enough as it was, Harry was not looking to exasperate that particular problem.

"Shut up Malfoy," a Gryffindor yelled at the blond haired stooge.

A Slytherin girl smiled back at the Gryffindor. "Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom. Never thought you liked fat cry babies, Parvati" Harry sighed, he really did need to learn peoples names. But it was just so hard remembering the names of trash and Lorelei told him not to bother with trash unless he saw something in them, which he didn't.

"Look!" Malfoy shouted, grabbing something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing that Longbottom's grandmother sent him." The blond haired bigot cried, holding the Remembrall up for all too see. The tensions between the two groups built, Harry couldn't help but smile, out of the corner of his eye he could see Tracy Davis and Daphne mimic the action. Shit was about to hit the fan in three, Abigail Potter stepped towards Malfoy. Two, her hand came out as if she was looking to shake his hand. One, her mouth opened.

"Give it here Malfoy," the Potter heiress growled out.

Zero.

Malfoy sneered at the black haired girl. "No I rather think I should leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find, How about up a tree?" The blond asked sadistically.

"Give. It. Here." Abigail insisted again, growling out each word. Harry leaned back into his wall and just enjoyed the confrontation, this job was great! It even came with free entertainment!

Malfoy leapt onto a broomstick and flew off, well his stories may have been bullshit but it seemed that he actually could fly well. Abigail took off, hot on the boy's heels. The warning, most probably correct warning too, from the bushy haired Gryffindor still on the ground went unheeded. The two in the air flew for a few minutes, it was actually quite fun to watch. Malfoy threw the Remembrall out into open space and it fell. For Harry the next few seconds seemed to be in slow motion. Abigail snarled at the blond before putting herself into a dive.

She soared towards the ground, ten meters, seven meters, five meters, two meters, the Remembrall was caught and she pulled up soaring back into the sky, Harry let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. Everything seemed fine for a few seconds until Harry saw a red light explode from the end of Goyle's wand and hit the back of Abigail's broom.

The world slowed down as the cutting curse ripped through the end of the broom and sent Abigail out into open space as she was kicked off it. This wasn't a small six meter fall either, it looked more like a twenty to thirty meter fall. Harry surged to his feet his brain already going through different scenarios. Iri took to the air, his broom was too far away, he looked to his side, he was sitting inside a small indent in the wall that ran all the way up the structure for fifty meters. The sides of the indent were one and a half meters apart, Abigail was five meters away from the wall. He could make it.

"Trace. On." Prana roared through his circuits. His most basic Magecraft was pushed through his body. Reinforcement. Prana saturated the gaps between his bones, the bones themselves, muscles, cartilage, tendons, eyes, nothing was spared. Harry's entire body was was pushed by the Magecraft he was forcing on himself, making him faster, stronger, better, than any human had the right to be. But that was fine, Magecraft was made to defy the natural so breaking the barriers that held back humans was perfectly normal.

He kicked off the ground, right leg finding the edge of the wall and pushing off. Sending Harry higher and into the other side of the indent, he pushed off the other side of the indent sending him higher still. Everyone bar Daphne was too busy looking at Abigail's free fall to see the Magus defy the normal laws. The blonds mouth was open wide as the Enforcer in training sent himself up fifteen meters in two jumps.

Harry spun in mid air planting his feet in the centre of the indent rather than the sides, Abigail was only just above him. He had timed this perfectly. Harry kicked off the wall, the force leaving cracks in the stone work. It was then the others noticed the Magus and responded with disbelief. Harry virtually tackled Abigail in mid air, the girl herself looked at him with disbelief. The black haired Enforcer made sure to take care cradling the girls neck as they fell towards the ground. A mundane like her not using Reinforcement on their body would likely have their neck snapped when he landed if he didn't.

The jump took the two out over the assembled class and onto the grass around twenty meters away from the wall. Harry landed in a crouch, Abigail held inside his arms, still looking at him with a bit of awe in her gaze. The black haired Enforcer lowed his charge to the ground and turned to Goyle, his face void of expression, empty, hollow, lifeless. Harry took a deep breath in, he could forgive a lot, but not this. The idiot child my not have acted with any forethought, however, Abigail likely would have died if she hit the ground from that hight.

Harry was furious and he had no idea why other than that he was angered by the fact that the girl that made him feel nostalgia when he saw her had been put in danger. Then again maybe that was the reason why he was so angry, Harry only felt nostalgic when he saw blood, corpses and ashes, his first memories. It was actually quite nice to have something else to feel nostalgic over.

Goyle likely wasn't thinking when he cast the cutting curse but it didn't matter. The people around him were beginning to back away. Harry just stayed focused on Goyle. His real intent didn't matter, it was his lack of forethought that could be catastrophic. Not only that but even if he wasn't thinking, to be able to cast a cutting curse at someone in mid air at that hight meant that even subconsciously Goyle was capable of killing someone in cold blood.

Harry's body was on autopilot as he took in that information. The boy was a problem, he needed to eliminate problems, they could cause harm later. Harry breathed in again, air saturated his lungs as his well trained body tensed. Getting ready for the explosion. He would make it quick and clean. Close the distance and crush Goyle's skull in an instant, no pain, no fear, just quick, instant, painless, death.

"MR GOYLE!" The words were roared and shook Harry out of his trance. The black haired child allowed himself to relax, he didn't need to kill Goyle. Public humiliation would do just fine, though Harry would not deny that killing the boy was a pleasant thought.

Harry turned to see which teacher had stopped the impending murder of a student. Minerva McGonagall strode down the steps of the school and walked up to the group, a look of rage on her face. Well placed rage if Harry was honest with himself.

"In all my time at Hogwarts I have never seen such disregard for another student. Mr Goyle," McGonagall spat out the name as if it were a curse. "You, along with Harry and miss Potter will be coming to see the headmaster immediately." McGonagall demanded, Harry nodded he had wondered when he would have a one on one with the headmaster after all.

**Sword Dancer Chapter 2- End**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sword Dancer**

**Chapter Three: Blackmail and the Enforcer**

**Author's note-**

Yo, yeah I couldn't think of a better way to start so sue me, welcome to the next chapter of Sword Dancer.

Okay more than a few things happen in this chapter but the main one is that Harry will probably seem a bit more playful than he did in the other chapters. This was deliberate. I wanted to show what Harry's personality is like when he is not 'on the job' as it were. As for what it is like, the best way I could put it is that he is playfully sardonic with a penchant for pranks, blackmail, cynicism and most importantly sarcasm. That is what Harry's personality is like in the first half of this chapter, the second half is decidedly different.

It more focuses on what Harry is like when he goes full on Enforcer, this happens when he finds a credible threat to the safety of the stone in this chapter.

This was done mostly so I could show a bit of a contrast between the two halves of his personality and also because I never really enjoyed writing characters that were overly angsty or have a penchant to be more doom and gloom than actual characters. I enjoy writing people who have more of an Archer style of personality. For people who haven't read/played Fate Stay Night that means people whose personality is sarcastic, cynical and just generally pessimistic, but amusingly so, not to the point where the character is a complete downer all the time.

Also, and hear me out here, I was toying with the idea of making Harry a Professor in the next book. Teaching the very basics of Magecraft. As for why the Clock Tower would agree to something like that I think it would be quite simple. Some of the Magic of the Harry Potter Universe is either Impossible or border-lining it in the Type-Moon verse. To be honest I think to get their hands on things about advanced Charms and Transfiguration they would be willing to part with the basics of Magecraft and who better to teach the Wizards than a Magi that could count as one of them.

Naturally Harry would not have all the powers of a normal Professors, such as the ability to take points but he could assign detentions providing he gave a valid reason. Another reason I suggest that Harry becomes a Professor is that it would force him to be around people more and make bonds that could be used further down the line. At any rate let me know what you guys think of the idea, I've only written the bare bones of it here but I would be more than happy to explain the entire agreement that the Clock Tower would have in place in regards to Harry teaching Magecraft and will tell you if you PM me.

At any rate I have a few thank you's to give out. First as always to my BETA Zimbolical for actually taking the time to BETA my crap, trust me you really would not want to read my stuff if he didn't.

The second thank you goes to Thanathos for constantly challenging and refining my Type Moon knowledge and calling me out on it when I fuck up or bullshit out my ass. The man is very patient and has really helped in refining my knowledge of the Naruverse, or Type-Moon verse or you know what use whatever terminology you want for that it's confusing enough as it is. Seriously though, thank you.

Now on with the show

Story Start-

Harry couldn't help but sigh to himself as the deputy headmistress led the group of three through the castle halls. Harry contented himself with observing his surroundings while plotting a number of ways to discreetly do away with Goyle should he try something again. He knew that Witches and Wizards could read people's minds so he needed to do something to completely destroy Goyle's brain if he did off the little bastard. That way it would be impossible for them to retrieve the memory, he would also need to make it in an out of the way place with no portraits around to report him. This was going to be harder than he first anticipated. If he decided to go through with it, either way he would make the plan that way he always had the option.

The other two that he was with seemed to be alternating between worry and fright in Goyle's case as he looked around and awe and anger in Abigail's case. Harry just smiled grimly when he looked at Goyle, causing the other Slytherin to shiver and look as if he wanted nothing more than to run away. Which was probably a good thing, as this meant that his survival instincts were working. Not that it would help him much if Harry really decided that he needed to die.

McGonagall continued leading the group of three first years until they reached a gargoyle sitting in a thinking pose. "Mars Bar" McGonagall snapped and the Gargoyle jumped aside to allow the four access to the stair case. Harry smiled at the password, not bad old man, not bad. After all how many people would guess that!

The stair case took around a minute, two tops, to walk up before coming to a very ornate pair of doors. Oak with bronze and gold bindings, Harry had already detected four Runic Arrays on the way up. From what he could tell they told the headmaster who was coming, how powerful they were magically, what they had on them and if anything they had was a Mystic Code. Not a bad set-up really, Harry would have to figure out what the Runic Arrays were and then mimic them for later use. He guessed that the array that told old Dumbles who was coming probably sent a mental image of the area, it did not actually identify the person.

McGonagall knocked on the ornate doors and received a 'come in' in return. The deputy headmistress opened the door, before looking scathingly at Goyle and shooing then three inside. Harry couldn't help but whistle at the room. It was very large, probably the same size as the Slytherin common room. Large bookcases flanked the room on either side, a variety of sliver and golden instruments humming away in a corner. A pair of staircases led to an upper balcony, Harry was willing to bet that it led to another library and probably Dumbledore's sleeping quarters.

A flapping sound came from above the group, Harry didn't bother to look up, Iri landed on her master's shoulder and hooted irritably. "Sorry for not picking you up Iri," Harry told his familiar. The albino owl whacked her owner over the back of his head with her wing in return. "Very sorry," Harry amended, the snow white owl hooted indignantly but took up her usual post on his left shoulder. Oh he just knew he was going to have to make some amazing coffee to earn forgiveness.

Dumbledore just sat behind his desk smiling at the byplay that just took place. Not that he was alone Abigail seemed to be holding in a laugh at the way the master and familiar interacted and Harry would swear to his dying day that he saw McGonagall's lips twitch. Goyle however just looked scared out of his wits, probably a good thing too.

Dumbledore took this moment to put all their minds back on business. "I see you are here with three of our students Minerva, may I ask why?" He inquired, while Harry noted that the old man did not have a twinkle in his eyes. It seemed that he knew that whatever it was they were here for was extremely serious, probably either worthy of an expulsion or nearing it.

The small twitch that Harry swore he could see around McGonagall's lips disappeared as if it had never existed to begin with and she threw a cold look at Goyle. If he was legitimately planning on murdering the little prick at a later date Harry would probably say it was cold as the grave, but he didn't feel like using black humour right then.

"You may Albus," the Transfiguration Professor told her employer. "I was just watching the Gryffindor/Slytherin flying lesson; Mr Longbottom ended up falling off his broom and broke his wrist. After which Mr Malfoy began an altercation with Miss Potter after Madam Hooch had taken young Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing. Both of these two students disobeyed Madam Hooch's instructions and used brooms and continued the altercation in the air. I do not know what the altercation was over Albus but Mr Malfoy threw something and Miss Potter put herself into a dive to follow it. She managed to pull up very close to the ground and return to about thirty meters in the air, Mr Goyle," She spat out the name as if it were the vilest curse she could muster.

"Cast a cutting curse from the ground at Miss Potter that destroyed some of her broom and sent her into free fall that was when Master Harry acted. He managed to reach fifteen meters in height from two jumps and tackled Miss Potter in mid-air making sure that she landed safely, after this happened I brought them to you Albus." McGonagall finished, Dumbledore's gaze was like Ice.

"I see," he stated softly. "Miss Potter could you please tell us what the altercation between you and Mr Malfoy was about?" The old man questioned, Harry had seen enough people to know that Dumbledore was beyond angry, even if he didn't show it. Abigail nodded and took a deep breath before showing the teachers the Remembrall in her right hand.

"The fight between me and the blond haired git," Abigail started. Only to be cut off by a cry of 'language!' by McGonagall. "Sorry Professor," Abigail told the Transfiguration Professor who just nodded in return. "Anyway the fight between Malfoy and I was over the Remembrall. Neville dropped it when he fell off his broom. When Madam Hooch left Malfoy started making fun of Neville and picked up the Remembrall. I told him to give it back and Malfoy just told me that he would go and leave it somewhere for Neville to collect, I believe 'up a tree' were his words."

The blue eyed girl took a breath in. "After that we both got on broom, though Malfoy flew off first and then I followed him, after a few minutes of dogging him he threw the Remembrall and I flew after it. I managed to catch it, then I got thrown off my broom by some kind of spell, I didn't actually see it, Harry here managed to make it up fifteen meters in the air with no broom and catch me, sir." Abigail finished her story, Dumbledore's eyes looked like frozen glaciers.

"I see," was all the old Wizard said looking at Goyle for a second before turning to Harry. "Harry, I would call you Mr but as you know I cannot without sounding ridiculous. I will probably end up referring to you as Master Harry in our future conversations," Dumbledore told him, Harry just nodded. Curse of not having a last name, you could never be called Mr and have someone take you seriously. After all calling himself Mr Harry sounded ridiculous, Master Harry sounded only mildly better, and he never really felt the need for a last name anyway. He was the ward of Barthomeloi and that was all he needed.

"At any rate could you please tell me what happened from your point of view?" Dumbledore asked, Harry took a brief moment to consider what he was about to say, a very brief moment. On one had he had been told to bail out another Slytherin from trouble if he could. Then on the other hand, one he didn't want to and two McGonagall had already given Dumbledore the story. Harry chose to go with telling the truth.

"What happened from my point of view was more or less the same as what Professor McGonagall and Miss Potter have told you, the only differences my own would have would be that of semantics. Most of which would just be citing that while Mr Goyle over there did indeed cast the spell the student next to him, Mr Crabbe, made no move to stop him. Or even yell out to Miss Potter about the danger she was in. Granted no one else did either however all of them were focused on what was happening in the air but Goyle had to put his arm and more importantly his wand directly into Crabbe's line of sight before he could fire the spell. I would say that it adds Mr Crabbe on as an accessory does it not?" Harry finished, Dumbledore nodded.

"Thank you for that Harry," the old man told him before turning his eyes to Goyle. "Mr Goyle I will be honest with you," the headmaster spoke in a silky tone. "Under normal circumstances you would tell me your side of the story, however in the face of three virtually identical reports, one from my deputy headmistress no less, that will not be necessary. Now I cannot expel you as I am required to give a warning first before I can do that and that warning cannot be waved unless in certain circumstances and, unfortunately, this is not one of them." Goyle seemed to sag in relief and Dumbledore smiled. It was not a happy look.

"However Mr Goyle consider yourself on probation, if I hear so much as a peep about you doing the wrong thing I can, and will, expel you in an instant. Moreover as you attacked a Gryffindor student I think it only fitting that you have detention with Professor McGonagall for the remainder of the school year every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For six hours per detention each Saturday and Sunday and for three hours each Friday. You will not be going home for the Christmas holidays either and come those holidays' Mr Goyle," Dumbledore continued in a low voice. Goyle was shivering in his chair, Harry was unsurprised. Dumbledore's voice sounded like it could put ice on boiling water.

"Your detentions will be every day for six hours, even if all Minerva has you do is constantly shovel snow the muggle way. I will also be taking three hundred points from Slytherin. The next time you attempt to harm a student under my care the result will be much worse, do we understand each other Mr Goyle?" Dumbledore asked to which Goyle quickly nodded shakily. McGonagall just looked like Christmas had come early. "Very good," Dumbledore told the Slytherin. "Now get out," Goyle did not need to be told twice and shot out of the room as if he was being chased by an angry god.

The ancient headmaster turned his gaze to the black haired Enforcer in training. "Harry under normal circumstances I would tell you to take two hundred points to Slytherin for saving another students life. However as that would render Mr Goyle's punishment rather moot I would rather not do that. So please know that a sum of 100 Galleons will be added to your Gringotts account for saving another students life. Do you have anything you wish to say to him Abigail?" Dumbledore asked to which Abigail nodded.

"Thank you," it was just two simple words but Harry could tell how much emotion was inside them. "But how did you do that?" Abigail asked, blue eyes shining with curiosity. Harry had to hold in a laugh, it was the same expression that was on his face when his teacher had first showed him the art of self-reinforcement.

The black haired boy smiled at The-Girl-Who-Lived. "Sorry trade secret," he told her. His trademark sarcastic smirk in place.

"Self-reinforcement" Dumbledore pipped in. Cause Harry's head to swivel to the old headmaster so quickly he probably should have broken his neck. Dumbledore smiled at the young Magus's actions, he supposed it would be surprising to the boy to have a Wizard of all people know what he was doing. Then again Dumbledore had been around for a very long time and fought against more people than he cared to remember, Magi included. This was not the first time he had seen self-reinforcement.

"Self-reinforcement?" Professor McGonagall asked, sounding more than mildly interested. Dumbledore nodded, Harry made no move to cut the old man off. While he did was to keep Magi secrets exactly that, a secret, if the old man really knew about self-reinforcement then he could just tell the two later anyway. Harry was better off hanging around now and finding out exactly how much Dumbledore knew about the Magecraft, or at least how much of what he was willing to share about it.

"Indeed my dear Minerva," Dumbledore told the Transfiguration Professor. "Reinforcement is a form of Magecraft that does exactly what it sounds like and reinforces an object. Making it better than before and not just tougher either. The best example I could give you would be a knife. If Harry here was to use reinforcement on a knife it would not just become more durable. It would also gain a sharper edge and keep it longer, be more resistant to rust, and be over all better at its function than it could be otherwise. Self-reinforcement is applying this concept to the human body. Making the bones and muscles stronger and more resistant to damage, but also making them more durable over all." Dumbledore told the two who seemed impressed at the Magecraft, it was basic. Hell it was incredibly basic, but it had thousands of applications. Dumbledore had only covered the very basics of reinforcement. The old man looked over at Harry and smiled "I believe you may go young man."

Harry nodded and stood, "of course. Thank you headmaster," he told Dumbledore before turning to McGonagall and Abigail in turn. "Good day, Professor McGonagall, Miss Potter." He didn't look back even once as he exited the room; a single question kept haunting Harry. Was that really all Dumbledore knew? Or was it all he was willing to say in Harry's presence?

**XXX**

Harry sighed; it had been an interesting day. That morning Abigail had received a broom, a Nimbus 2000 from her parents. Apparently her little stunt had gotten her a place as the Gryffindor seeker, well good for her. She had another small altercation with Malfoy but Harry didn't really care about that, not his problem after all.

At the current moment he was looking at a message that he had just received from the Clock Tower. It had come through the gem that he kept on his desk top so it was confidential. Or to be more precise it was information that could cause a lot of people to die in very painful ways if it ever got out. It may have seemed like a stupid idea to trust a child with such information, but that was exactly the point. It was a test. What should he do with the information? How would he react to it? Why would he do what he did? It was a test set up by the Barthomeloi family; he doubted it was by Lorelei herself.

To put things quite simply while Lorelei cared for him as a person on some level or another. To the rest of the Barthomeloi he was a tool, a disposable tool, and if he didn't pass their tests then they would simply have him disposed of as he was of no more use as a tool. He didn't doubt for a second that the Barthomeloi family would have him killed off in a second if he ever failed one of their tests. Fortunately their tests were always simple, they gave him a situation and he simply had to come out of it better then he went it. At least they were consistent.

This information, how could he take advantage of it? He needed to think in the long term to, not the short term. Sure he could simply blackmail the person and he would pass the test with flying colours, but that would probably come back to bite him in the ass hard in the future. So how to take advantage of it? hmm. Okay he would use the opposite end of the spectrum this time; they were notoriously bound to their honour after all. He would tell them and then they would owe him a favour, he would come out better than he went in. The real question was if it would be enough to keep his head on his shoulders, he didn't really want it anywhere else, Harry was quite fond of having his head where it was.

The black haired boy penned a quick note and sat the gem onto the note, "Active transfer, gem code 021, connect. Receiving gem code 154, access confirmed, transfer active." The words were simple, not even Magecraft. The gem was a Mystic Code that was doing all the heavy lifting for him, scanning the words on the paper and then sending them to another gem where the recipient would then have the message, simple, quick, efficient. Less chance of someone taking a look at the message too, this could have happened if Harry had just used a cell phone. If the other person even had a cell phone, Harry really didn't know if they did or not.

The black haired boy looked at Iri who was sleeping on his bed before looking at the time. 2330, time to make his move. Harry rose and donned his usual suit. If he got caught then he would simply have to do this another time. The black haired Enforcer in training looked at the two messages on his desk and picked up his pen before drawing the Ansuz rune on each piece of paper and running a small amount of Prana through them. Naturally they both caught on fire, burning down until not even ash remained. Enforcers were always taught how to dispose of messages in such a way that no one else could ever read them, the Ansuz rune was the most commonly used.

The Enforcer in training walked quickly down the steps before being stopped just before the common room by a nightgown clad Dahpne Greengrass. Said nightgown leaving very little to the imagination and making Harry lament slightly that she wasn't older. As it was the black haired Enforcer raised just raised an eyebrow.

"I would ask where you are going but I assume you would not tell me." She said to Harry who nodded, if he was a little older and she was as well Harry was one hundred percent sure he would be checking her out like there was no tomorrow. As it was Harry just nodded and waited for Daphne's next words. "I'm not interested in going with you but I would assume you want to do something to Goyle for his stupidity?" She asked, which caused Harry to smirk. Oh this really was a beautiful partnership.

"You would assume correctly on both counts my Lady." Harry told her smiling, "would I be correct in assuming that you have an idea to contribute?" Harry asked, Daphne just gave him a sarcastic smile in response. One that Harry was sure she had picked up from him.

"Indeed I do Magus, right at this very moment the three morons are alone together in the common room. Apparently they challenged Potter to a duel tonight at midnight in the trophy room. Naturally they are not going to be turning up and have informed Filch of the situation so he can catch her and Susan Bones who claimed to be Potter's second. Perhaps you could leave Filch a present?" Daphne finished smirking, Harry smiled.

"Ah my Lady you would have done well in the Clock Tower," Harry told her, making the Ice Queen smile. "You really would have, still maybe next lifetime huh. I will put your information to good use Witch, but first, would you indulge me with a question?" Harry asked, the Ice Queen held her smile and nodded.

"You may ask, Magus"

"What are you doing in the hallway with nothing but a nightgown on?" Harry inquired, Daphne shrugged.

"I decided to visit Tracy before turning in myself and saw you coming down the stairs and thought I might inform you of a golden opportunity." She told him, a borderline sadistic grin in place. "Does that satisfy you Magus?" She asked.

"Indeed it does Witch." Harry replied smiling back, they parted ways. Not a single other word was spoken between the two. Their alliance was not one of friends but one of convenience and they both knew it. Daphne could, and indeed would, stab him in the back the second that she felt that their alliance was more trouble than it was worth. By the same token however Daphne knew that Harry would kill her without batting an eyelid if her back stab did not work or it didn't give him another target. They were both playing a dangerous game with each other, and loving every second of it. Harry still felt that the girl could have made it far as a Magus, oh well, too bad so sad.

The Enforcer smiled as he walked out into the common room to find the three standing and getting ready for bed, five meters between them. Harry could cross that distance in a second, then two more to knock the three out, two on top of that again for the Runes he needed to slap on them, this entire debacle would be over in five seconds, or less, probably less. Malfoy saw Harry and went to open his mouth just as Harry crossed the distance between them, his elbow connecting solidly with the blond boys jaw and sending him straight into Morpheus's sweet embrace.

One second.

Crabbe was on his left, Harry's right leg rose and Harry smashed his shin into the side of Crabbe's head, the boy's eyes rolled back and he joined his de facto boss in the realm of dreams. Harry pivoted on the balls of his feet his right leg coming forward and deep into Goyle's still non-existent guard. Harry's right arm lashed out his fist catching Goyle in the diaphragm; Harry smiled with satisfaction when he felt ribs crack from the force of his punch. He had to regulate all his strikes very closely or else he would have killed the three morons, Goyle was unconscious before he hit the floor.

Two seconds.

Harry used the momentum of his punch to spin back around to Malfoy and Crabbe, who were still out cold on the floor. It took no time at all for the Enforcer in training to slap a Rune on each of their foreheads to keep them unconscious while he moved the two.

Three seconds.

Harry turned one last time and came face to face with a still downed Goyle. The black haired Enforcer in training slapped the rune on the idiots head as well. Harry gave Goyle a kick in his already cracked ribs, just to make sure the Runes were working of course. They were.

Four seconds.

Harry smiled to himself and whistled The Beatles classic Hey Jude to himself. He felt it was quite appropriate. After all he was taking a sad day where he had yet to make anyone embarrass themselves horribly and make it better by embarrassing these three. If anyone was still awake to hear Harry's laughter they would have shivered in fright at the pure evil and malice contained within. Daphne, who had watched the whole thing from the stairway, could guarantee that.

**XXX  
**

It was honestly not even a problem to reach the trophy room. He didn't have to dodge a single teacher. Actually Harry found that quite upsetting, he had kind of looked forward to the challenge. Upon reaching the trophy room Harry quickly set about his prank, the first part was the most disturbing. He had to get the three almost naked. By stripping them down to nothing but their boxers, the second part was to lay them one on top of the other, Goyle on the bottom, Crabbe on top of him and Malfoy on top of Crabbe. All of them lined up so that if they had a boner it would poke the other guy. Harry grabbed Crabbe's hand and placed it on Malfoy's bum before taking a step back and smiling.

It was almost perfect. Just the finishing touches now, Harry quickly pulled his wand out(not THAT wand you sick bastards) and quickly applied the sticking charm to Crabbe's hand and Malfoy and Crabbe's crotches, sticking all three to each other in a very perverse way as well as sticking Goyle to the floor. Harry couldn't help but laugh at this, he added a Berkano Rune to the three giving all of them what most men would refer to as their morning problem.

Harry smiled to himself as he observed his handy work before setting the Rune keeping the three unconscious would fade when someone came within five meters of the three. After which another Rune would wake the three up, Harry smiled at work well done. Before looking at the three from half a dozen different angles, he was so recording this memory to a gem later. Perfect blackmail material right there, doubly so when applied to the Malfoy brats father.

After all Harry could now ruin most, if not all, of the marriages the man could set up. All he would have to do was send a memory of this off, ah the wonders of blackmail. Now all he had to do was leave and set up the Bounded Field before anyone else turned up and he would be golden. Harry heard the shuffling of feet and turned to the door way at the far side of the trophy room and saw a sight he wasn't sure that he would ever see again. Abigail Potter, Susan Bones and Hermione Granger. Absolutely gob smacked, Okay reshuffling priorities, all he had to do was explain himself. Get out of here before Filch showed up and set up the Bounded Field around the room on the third floor and Harry could call this day damn near perfect.

Abigail was the first to recover and broke down laughing. "Wh-Wh-What the hell did you do?" She asked through her laughter, Susan wasn't much better but Hermione looked green. Ah well, he supposed not everyone could appreciate a masterly pulled off prank/ piece of blackmail material.

Harry walked around the three currently still unconscious and stuck to the floor Slytherins. "Short version, they weren't planning on honouring your duel so I taught them a little lesson. Also Filch will be here any minute now so we really need to leave." Harry stressed the last bit, Hermione still looked shell shocked.

"Why did you do this!?" The busy haired girl demanded, "You could be expelled." She hissed out, Harry shrugged.

"I doubt it," Harry informed the still green looking girl. "Malfoy, for all his other faults, is correct when he says that his father is very influential. In order to get me expelled Malfoy would have to give his father a memory of what happened here tonight and that would damage both of their reputations more than they would like. If they still try to oust me after that then I blackmail them by threatening to send my memory of these three to every pureblood family in Britain. Trust me when I tell you that pureblood families all over the world consider their image to be the most important thing in the world, and as of right now? I can do a heap of damage to the Malfoy family at any time I choose."

"But still it isn't right," Hermione told him, Harry shrugged again.

"If you're looking for someone who values morality then look elsewhere." The black haired Enforcer told her on no uncertain terms. "I am doing this mostly because it amuses me to do so, so by all means if you wish to waste your breath please do continue to spout things about how this isn't right. Because frankly I don't care, something you should learn girl. I don't follow rules very well, not yours, not this schools, hell I don't even follow the Clock Towers rules very well. Granted I don't break them but I do trample all over hundreds, if not thousands, of years of tradition to Magi on an almost daily basis. The only thing I follow is my own personal code, which I reserve the right to never fully explain to others. So I say again girl. If you are looking for someone who values morality then look elsewhere."

Hermione looked taken back by Harry's statement. As did Susan and Abigail, "at any rate," Harry continued. "We need to leave before Filch comes." A light glowed from the door way Harry had come in from followed by shuffling. Speak of the devil. "And just like that we need to leave." They needed no more prompting and the four sprinted down the hall, less than a minute later they could hear Filch's rancorous laughter and the indigent screams of three upset Slytherins.

The group of four slowed down. "Well what now?" Abigail asked to which Harry shrugged.

"No idea what you guys are going to do but as for me, I've got a few things that I need to take care of back in my dorm so I'm heading there first." Harry told the group of three and walked off further down the hall. They followed; naturally, it was a hall way with no turn off's after all.

Then it happened, in the dark Susan tripped over and hit a suit of armour. Said suit promptly fell down causing enough noise to wake the whole damn castle. Flich still being nearby Abigail yelled the one thing that made sense at the time.

"RUN!"

The group of four sprinted off, well to Harry it was more of a light jog. The black haired Enforcer in training could have easily outpaced the girls at any time he chose. Honestly though, he was having more fun watching them run around like headless chickens. Abigail, who was out in front, ripped through a tapestry and fled down a secret passage, Harry would have to remember that was there as it came out in the charms corridor.

It would probably be good for cutting time off journeys when he needed to, maybe he should make a map of the place with all the hidden passages he could find on it. Now there was an idea, maybe he lock it with a password or something, maybe something like 'I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good' or something like that.

Harry looked forward again, Peeves. Well this was sure to make the day more interesting, Abigail looked up at Peeves. "Peeves, please be quiet," the Potter heiress almost begged.

Peeves just looked at the group and nodded before smiling, Harry sighed, everything was about to go straight to hell.

"STUDENTS!" Peeves roared, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED, IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!" The poltergeist screamed, Harry did the smart thing at that point, started running again. Granted it wasn't like they were going to be expelled if they were caught but Harry didn't really feel like getting a detention either, it would look bad. He could probably just illusion trick his way out of it but that would require more work than he really wanted to put in.

The group of four sprinted, okay Harry jogged, to the end of the corridor three of the four slammed into the door. It was a dead end, the sound of Flich closing in could be heard from behind. Harry couldn't help but wonder why the door looked so familiar.

Hermione whipped her wand out and tapped the lock, "_Alohomora_!" The resident Gryffindor book worm snapped. The door clicked open and all four rushed inside. Harry was one of the first inside and got his first look at one of the protections of the stone.

A gigantic three headed dog. More commonly called a Cerberus, was currently waking up in the centre of the room. Six beady eyes locked on the Magi, he could swear that its mouth opened into a smile at seeing its 'visitors.' One of the three heads opened its mouth, revealing razor-sharp teeth, Harry gulped. All of a sudden he was having some doubts about whether or not he could kill this thing. Okay truth be told he probably could, but Harry doubted that he would come out of that fight unscathed.

That meant that he would need to find another way past this obstacle should he ever need to get past. Harry also noted that it was standing on a trap door. The door behind him opened and Harry along with the other three jumped out of the room as fast as humanly possible before slamming the door shut again.

The black haired Enforcer watched with a little amusement as the group of three, two Gryffindor and one Hufflepuff, sprinted away. Filch was obviously elsewhere, not that Harry cared. Time to make this night go from good to perfect. Even if Harry wanted to go back to the common room and head to bed first thing was first after all and so the Enforcer in training went about setting up his Bounded Field.

A Bounded Field was a topographic type of Magecraft. To put things in layman's terms, it was as if Harry placed an invisible boundary line in the third floor corridor that separated the inside from the outside. The outside in this case was the ordinary part of Hogwarts, whereas the inside was the final fifty meters to the forbidden door. In the outside the Bounded Field had no effect. However once one went to the inside, the last fifty meters to the door, then it took effect.

The Fields function was simple, it recorded who had gone to the door, at what time and if they opened it or not. This information was relayed to a piece of paper on the desk inside Harry's room. With it Harry hoped to find out the regular patrol routes of the teacher when it came to the stone, such as how often it was checked on and by whom. That way when something, untoward, happened Harry could find and kill the culprit in a timely manner.

The black haired child smiled to himself as he finished the field and walked all the way back to the common room whistling a jaunty tune that sounded suspiciously like Weird Al Yankovic. There really was nothing like a job well done. Who said you couldn't mix business with pleasure, though Lorelei would probably kill him. If she ever found out about it that was.

**XXX**

Now it may have been the reports and the homework, along with a few of his personal projects and training but it was on the day of all hallows eve or Halloween as it is now more commonly called. That Harry realised that he had been at Hogwarts for two months, not that the Enforcer in training was homesick or anything like that, but rather he was simply surprised that time had seemed to fly so quickly. The lessons were slowly but surely becoming more and more interesting as well, though he supposed that was to be expected considering that they had just finished the basics.

Harry was also quite pleased to note that he had finally got the schedule for the checks on the stone. The black haired child had to admit that he felt a slight amount of achievement come from that fact. On the morning of all hallows eve, he woke to the smell of baking pumpkin. One of these days he would need to check how pumpkins and all hallows eve became connected, he had always wondered but could never be bothered to find out. He would need to check Wikipedia one of these days.

Harry had Transfiguration as the first class of that day. Something that Harry always looked forward to, McGonagall knew her stuff and hey it was Root be damned Molecular Reconstruction. How often did one even meet an expert on a subject like that, not very freaking often. This lesson had been exceptionally fun for Harry as it played to his wands strengths, turning a block of granite into iron.

The spell itself was quite simple, the wand needed to be jabbed at the object in question in a stabbing motion followed by making a quick X in mid-air then another stabbing motion. The incantation was _"M__uto vestri__forma,__convertimini ad__ferrum"_ a direct translation from Latin would be "change your form, turn unto iron" why the spell used unto instead of into he had no idea. Still it was nice to know that his Latin wasn't as rusty as he had thought it might be.

Getting worse at a language was something that was known to happen if one did not practise said language very often. Something that was true for Harry when it came to Latin, his French, German, Spanish, hell the only languages that saw less use were Bulgarian, Russian and Italian. As for why the young Enforcer knew so many languages was simple, while he was not a genius at language it was a requirement for an Enforcer to know at least three different languages. So that the operatives could remain useful in different countries and as the ward of the Barthomeloi Harry was expected to learn more languages than normal. Not that it meant that he could speak them all well; Harry could speak fluent French and German.

That being said the black haired child's Spanish and Latin left something to be desired and more importantly his Bulgarian, Italian and Russian were very limited. Though he would put in the hours when he got back to the clock tower to help correct that. Maybe he should look into Scandinavian, they had a very interesting Runic system and knowing the language would help him learn it faster.

His remaining classes of that day went quickly; still Harry did find it to be an enjoyable day. Still it was most definitely the feast that he was looking forward to, he was not disappointed either. The entirety of the great hall was decorated with floating pumpkins and flying bats. Giving it a real feeling of all hallows eve, it was an old custom for Magi to call October 31st by that name and Harry wasn't about to stop any time soon.

Harry had been just about to sink his teeth into what looked like the rarest steak on the table when the doors to the hall slammed open. Just liked everyone else inside the hall at the time Harry found his green eyes drawn to the person sprinting into the hall. Professor Quirrel, stark terror was written over the man's face while his turban was askew and his eyes wide. "TROLL!" The defence against the dark arts instructor screamed. "TROLL IN THE DUNGEONS!" "The turban clad Professor took a few more deep breaths, "just thought you might like to know." He added before falling into a dead faint, Harry grimaced. He had fainted forwards, which is normally impossible.

When you faint you lose control of your body's motor functions, meaning that it will move in the most appropriate way straight down. Normally this is either to the side or backwards, most commonly backwards as it is the only way for your knees to bend without hurting yourself. The only way to faint forwards is for someone to be leaning forwards when they faint, which Quirrel was not. So that added a suspect to who could be after the stone, too bad he couldn't simply kill Quirrel now but Lorelei told him that he had to be sure. Right now he had circumstantial evidence, really good circumstantial evidence granted, but still circumstantial none the less. He would however be watching Quirrel closely from now on, one step too far out of line and Harry would separate the man's head from his shoulders.

The hall erupted into screaming at the defence Professors declaration; it took a few very loud explosions from the end of Dumbledore's wand to quiet the students down. "Prefects," he said sternly. "Take your houses back to their common rooms; Hufflepuff and Slytherin Prefects please lead your houses to the class rooms on floor five while the teachers take care of the Troll." The old man instructed, Harry wasn't listening, for the Enforcer in training the world had gone deafeningly silent. As his brain ran through multiple scenarios, the most probable of which was the most concerning.

Harry's mind had put his emotions under lock and key, as they should be when assessing a situation like this. His mind was racing, his blood was burning. Problem: Troll inside castle, ability of Troll to make it inside castle without help, almost non-existent, chances of inside help, likely. Reason for inside help, prank, distraction, most likely distraction timing to perfect, possible targets for distraction, only the Professors.

Why would the Professors need to be distracted? So that the culprit can move around without hindrance, what reason could the culprit have for needing to move through Hogwarts unnoticed? Most probable, Philosophers stone, chances of it being Quirrel, high, evidence that it was Quirrel, high, also circumstantial, cannot eliminate threat without solid evidence as given in mission parameters.

He breathed in deeply, the students only just starting to move. Harry's brain was still moving at a thousand miles a minute. Problem: how to stop culprit from gaining stone, solutions, head culprit off, kill all possible culprits, i.e. kill all Hogwarts Professors and staff, kill distraction so that Professors may better protect the stone while not worrying about the students. Solutions in order of effectiveness: kill distraction, head culprit off, seconded as it is possible that a Professor rather than the actual culprit will come to check on the stone first and will end up killing incorrect target. Final solution, kill all possible culprits, most likely impossible at current skill level. Solution to be used, kill distraction.

Harry stood with the rest of the Slytherin table; he would head out with them and then disappear. After which he could take care of the Troll, Harry's mind was still racing as they left the great hall. Possible location of target, anywhere except third floor corridor, dungeons, assuming Quirrel was telling the truth, likely. Floors before floor three, also likely, floors higher than floor five, unlikely protections on the higher year classrooms would have alerted Professors already. Plan for tracking down target, start at floor four and work way down, other objectives, none. Mission commences.

The black haired child's face was void of expression as he walked behind the other Slytherin house first years, his mind still moving fast, more things needed to be analysed. Common facts about Trolls, physically tough, somewhat resistant to magic, weak points on back and eyes, small brain and intelligence, poor eye sight, vulnerable against bright lights, smell atrocious. Tactics, self-reinforcement, close gap, use lumous spell on eyes, stab through throat with black key when distracted, tactic hinges on being able to close with enemy. Tactic long range, pepper Troll with assortment of low level spells to draw attention, when it charges Trace Black Keys, use the momentum of the charge and the force at which the key can be thrown with a reinforced body to pierce vital points. Final aim death of Troll by any means necessary.

When the group of Slytherin and Hufflepuff students went the fifth floor Harry separated from the group he had not noticed when a Hufflepuff had ran off earlier. The young black haired child sprinted around the fourth floor, his nose twitching as he ran. Body already reinforced as well as he could manage. Then from a corridor he had passed he heard a scream and yelling. Harry spun on the balls of his feet and sprinted down the corridor, that scream had come from nearby. He heard screaming again as he came out near a stair case, the screaming was coming from the floor below, he jumped down the steps and shot down the first corridor on the third floor. The forbidden door was still quite far away so he wasn't hearing the screaming from there though it was getting closer.

Harry flew around another corner and stopped, the Troll was standing in the door way to a girl's toilet and the porcelain was smashed and cracked from where it had swung its club. Three girls, Abigail Potter, Susan Bones they were behind the Troll while Hermione Granger was in front of the Troll who was in the middle of pulling his club back to have another swing at the girl. While Abigail and Susan peppered the Troll from behind with ineffective spells, Harry took in the information and altered his plan. He needed the girls to be okay at the end of this engagement, if they were hurt in any way then it would take the Professors more time to treat them before checking on the stone that was unacceptable. Updating and changing mission parameters. New objective, save girls and kill Troll, chances of success, medium to high. Mission resumes.

Time seemed to slow down as Harry charged forwards, his reinforced dash allowing him to carry himself forwards far faster than should be humanly possible. The black blur passed the first two girls just as the Troll finished raising its club back. The things legs where wide open and Harry took the chance to slide between them, the second he came out the other side and into the bathroom the black haired Enforcer was back on his feet. The Trolls club was raised; he jumped forward tackling the bushy brown haired girl out of the way of the attack. Which hit the tiled floor and sent up shards of porcelain, Hermione was safe, Harry had managed to keep her out of the way of the club. The Enforcer adjusted his grip on the girl. His left arm underneath her legs right supporting her back, "Don't talk." He advised keeping his eyes on the twelve foot tall lumbering brute in front of him. "You'll bite your tongue off."

Harry surveyed the situation as the Troll brought its club back again. There was four meters between the head of the Troll and the ceiling; it seemed he would be going up. Harry's eyes flashed to his right, a half upright stall wall that would help. The club came down and Harry jumped back, Hermione still in his arms as he landed lightly on the half broken stall wall before taking off again, the power of his reinforced leap shattering the last half of the wall. Harry propelled Hermione and him upwards and curled into a ball, making himself as small a target as possible. He sailed over the Trolls head and landed in between Abigail and Susan who were looking at him like he was something they had never seen before. He laid Hermione on the ground behind him and turned back to his target.

Five meters to the Troll, girl's safe, final objective, kill distraction, mission continues. "Trace. On." The words were spoken and Harry felt Prana surge through his circuits. He already knew the weapon that he wanted, Black Keys. A weapon that was the calling card of the Executors of the Church, the young Enforcer had learned to use them on a whim and while he was not the best with them he was more than passable.

Harry ran through the steps of Tracing, his own personal form of the Magecraft called Projection. First judging the concept of creation, second, hypothesising the basic structure, third, duplicating the composition materials, fourth, imitating the skill of its making, fifth, sympathising with the experience of its growth, sixth, reproducing the accumulated years, seventh, excelling every manufacturing process. As soon as the seven steps were complete Harry felt a Black Key fall into his left and right hands.

It wasn't much to look at really, just a small red hilt with a long thin blade like a rapier. They had what could be considered to be a low attack power as well, despite the fact that a decent user could throw one hard enough to pierce through concrete. That was another thing that made the Black Key and odd weapon, despite the fact that they were shaped like a sword they were normally thrown. When they were used as a melee weapon the user held three at the same time, one between each of their finger knuckles. The final thing that made the weapon both odd and unique was the fact that they possessed a burning hatred at all things inhuman, the Troll definitely counted.

The lumbering giant turned, twelve feet of dark grey skin and muscle. Harry's face remained blank; he was both less and more than a human right then, a perfect killing machine. The Troll reared back and gave a bugling war cry before charging forward. Harry threw the Black Key in each of his hands; they cut through the air with an audible hiss.

Under normal circumstances a strike of two Black Keys would not have stopped the Troll unless they hit vital points. This was not under normal circumstances. These were Black Keys thrown by an Enforcer that had reinforced his body to close to it's current limit. The Keys impacted with the Trolls knees, the Troll dropped to the ground face down, screaming in agony. Its knee caps completely destroyed, though it did manage to keep a hold of its club.

Harry's face didn't change in the slightest as he watch the blood pool around the beasts legs from the point where he had destroyed its knees. The impassive Enforcers emotions were still under lock and key, he noted that the Troll still had its club. Harry Traced another pair of Black Keys, the holy weapons of the Executors of the Church dropping like old friends into the Enforcers hands. Harry pulled back and let the two Black Keys fly, a sickening cracking sound was heard as they pierced the Trolls elbows, rendering the beast helpless. Harry looked down at his hands, a final Trace ready. Three Black Keys materialised in each of the Enforcers hands. One of the three held between each of the knuckles of his fingers, Harry leapt into the air. Ignoring the gasps from behind him, the young Enforcer landed lightly on the Trolls back, the two sets of three blades were stabbed.

Each one entering a different target, Harry ignored the blood that was pooling around the injuries he had just dealt the Troll to assess the damage he had just done to the beast. Heart, destroyed, top half of spinal column, destroyed, brain stem, destroyed, brain, destroyed, conclusion, distraction dead. Reviewing mission parameters kill distraction, accomplished; keep Abigail Potter, Susan Bones and Hermione Granger from receiving injuries, accomplished. All objectives complete, optimal solution reached, mission parameters complete, mission completed. Revising new course of action, find Professor and report death of distraction, clam down three girls so that they may assist in search, new parameters understood, mission commences.

Harry turned back to the girls, his face still void of emotion. He saw they had guests now as well, Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrel, Harry was immediately on guard when he saw Quirrel though he did not show it. The Enforcer in training reworked his mission parameters again, Professors found, new courses of action, explain situation and assure their doubts and fears and then they will most likely go to check on the stone. If that has not already been done, new parameters acknowledged and combined with old, mission continues.

"Harry what happened!?" McGonagall demanded looking at the dead Troll. The Enforcers face was still blank, he figured that she chose him due to the fact that the three girls looked as if they were about to faint. That being said McGonagall was watching his wearily, she had probably seen him kill the Troll. Harry organised his information.

"I heard a scream Professor," he told McGonagall who nodded. "I had been separated from my group earlier when I thought I saw another student running down one of the hall ways and ran after him, at least I think it was a he, to tell them about the Troll in case they were not at the feast for some reason. I followed them for a little while but kept seeing them disappear around a corner before I could yell out. After this had happened twice I applied reinforcement to my body to catch them. When I rounded the next corner I found no one but heard a scream so I ran towards the scream in the hope that I could help." Harry explained in a blank voice, it was the down side of locking away his emotions he could not place any into his speech patterns when he did.

"When I arrived, Miss Potter and Miss Bones were sending spells at the Trolls back while Miss Granger was still inside the bathroom. I slid between the Trolls legs and tackled Miss Granger out of the way of the Trolls club, while Miss Potter and Miss Bones kept up their assault from outside. When the Troll took its next swing I avoided it while keeping hold of Miss Granger before jumping over its shoulder." Harry informed the teachers, Snape's eyes narrowed.

"You were able to jump over the Trolls shoulder while carrying another person?" The greasy haired professor asked; Harry nodded.

"Yes, as I said I applied reinforcement to my body. Please ask Headmaster Dumbledore or Deputy Headmistress McGonagall if you wish for more information sir." Harry replied in his dead tone, causing those around him to flinch, before continuing his story. "After I managed to get Miss Granger out of the firing line and behind the Troll it turned around and started to charge. At that point I decided that it was too dangerous to live and eliminated it." Harry informed the Professors.

McGonagall looked at the Trolls cooling corpse and the blades inside it before looking back to Harry. "How did you go about this 'elimination?'" she asked.

"I used a type of Magecraft that I am very proficient in, I am afraid that it would go against the laws of the Clock Tower to tell you more. Suffice to say that this type of Magecraft is not capable of killing the students by accident, it would require someone actively pursuing that end." Harry told the Professors, McGonagall nodded.

"I will be taking this up with Professor Dumbledore later, you may be asked to confirm your story again." McGonagall told him, Harry nodded, "you may go back to your common room now Harry. We will take care of the girls and the…clean up." She added, Harry nodded and the blades in the Troll shattered like glass.

"Good night Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Quirrel, Miss Bones, Miss Granger, Miss Potter." Harry told them before walking off, the wide eyes of the students watching after him.

"Harry" McGonagall called out causing the Enforcer to stop and turn back. "Take twenty points to Slytherin for protecting others." She told him, the black haired Enforcer in training nodded.

"Thank you Professor."

**XXX**

The next few days were interesting for Harry, no one knew that he had killed the Troll and the three girls had been asked to keep it quiet and they did. However all three of them were also a lot friendlier towards the black haired Enforcer in training. Before this incident when he worked with Abigail in potions they would barely talk, now they had small discussions on how their days had been and what their work load was like, the same could be said for Hermione Granger and Susan Bones.

They were not friends, though it seemed that the three trusted him enough to talk to him in a friendly manner. Which actually surprised Harry he had honestly thought that they would keep their distance and be afraid of him, this was a surprise. A pleasant surprise granted, but a surprise none the less. Still he would be holding his position concerning the Potter heiress, an alliance would cost him more than he was willing to lose. Harry had also received a very nice 'Thank You' note from Abigail's parents.

He had also found out why the group of girls had been in the toilets. It was the result of Ronald Weasley making a comment about Hermione. Apparently he insinuated that she had no real friends and that Abigail and Susan were both just using her. Now Harry had no idea of the girls past but he suspected that she was both a bit of a closet shut in and socially awkward. So that had probably happened to her before, people using her that was. However while Ron shouldn't have made that comment Harry also doubted that he really meant it.

Apparently just before he made it they had been in charms and Hermione had corrected him on a wand movement and pronunciation that Ron had been getting wrong for the entire lesson. When the red head challenged her to do better, Hermione got it in one. When Ron made that comment about Susan and Abigail just using Hermione he was probably frustrated that he had been getting it wrong. That didn't excuse him for the fact that he had put the brown haired girl in danger, not in the slightest. But Harry doubted that he actually meant what he said, especially after he apologised to her the day after without being asked, or told, to.

On another note his Bounded Field had registered two people going through the door on the third floor. The first was Quirrel who left shortly afterwards and the second was Snape who had stayed slightly longer but left quite quickly as well. This catapulted the two, right to the very top of his suspects list and Harry was already planning ways to kill them without being found out, it was harder than he had been expecting.

As the school entered November the air around the castle turned bitterly cold. The mountains in the distance became ice grey and the lake looked like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered with frost. Harry didn't mind the temperature change all that much but it did make his morning workouts somewhat annoying as he could slip over quite easily. It was also at this time that the first Quidditch game of the school season started. It was an interesting game that was for sure, not many deaths in the sport despite how unsafe it seemed, the real strange thing about it was that referees were known to just up and disappear. Then turn up a month or two later right in the middle of the Sahara desert, weird.

By eleven o'clock Harry found himself in the Quidditch stands, they were fairly high in the air. Though they probably had to be considering the game was played on broomsticks, still he had to ask out of all of the possible things one could fly on why broomsticks? Harry was right on the joining edge of the Slytherin and Hufflepuff factions.

Looking directly onto the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw side of the pitch, with reinforcement applied to his eyes Harry could see Susan Bones and Hermione Granger standing next to each other on the Gryffindor side. Susan carrying what looked to be a pair of binoculars with a variety of knobs on them. Harry was willing to admit that he got a kick out of the fact that both of them looked freaked out when he caught Susan looking at him through her binoculars and waved at her.

Harry's eyes went back down to the pitch just as the two teams were walking out. He could easily make out the Slytherin team dressed in their green robes and the Gryffindors dressed in resplendent crimson. Madam Hooch would be refereeing the game, Harry's eyes travelled back to the Gryffindor side that was now holding up a banner that read 'Potter For President!' the words were constantly changing colours, tricky bit of charm work that. Harry suspected, rightly, that it was Hermione that had cast that particular charm.

Harry watched as Madam Hooch blew her silver whistle and fifteen brooms rose into the air.

"AND THEIR OFF!" The commentator roared out over the magically enhanced microphone. If Harry's memory served him correctly a Gryffindor by the name of Lee Jordan was the commentator for all Hogwarts Quidditch games, that meant that he couldn't actually be on a team but he didn't seem to mind. "THE QUAFFLE IS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN BY ANGELINA JOHNSON OF GRYFFINDOR, GOOD CHASER THAT GIRL IS- RATHER ATTRACTIVE TO."

"JORDAN!" Harry could hear the scream of Professor McGonagall come from somewhere behind the current commentator, it seemed that she was his supervisor. Well that made sense, after all only a moron would give a child free reign over a commentator's position without having a supervisor near them. Just think about what they may say.

"JOHNSON PASSES TO ALICA SPINNET, A GOOD FRIEND OF OLIVER WOOD'S AND A RESERVE TEAM MEMBER FROM LAST YEAR, WITH SKILLS LIKE HERS THOUGH ONE HAS TO WONDER WHY SHE WAS ONLY A RESERVE." Jordan stated and Harry had to agree, the girl was weaving through the opposing team members and the bludgers that were being fired at her like they weren't even there, it really was quite impressive.

"BACK TO JOHNSON, THE GRYFFINDOR CHASERS ARE ON FIRE TODAY. OH THE QUAFFLE IS INTERCEPTED BY MARCUS FLINT, NICE PLAY BY THE SLYTHERIN CHASER THERE. FLINT'S OFF, DODGING AROUND CHASERS JOHNSON AND SPINNET LIKE THEY AREN'T EVEN THERE, HE CLOSES FOR THE GOAL, PULLS BACK AND- CAUGHT! NICE SAVE BY GRYFFINDOR CAPTIAN AND KEEPER OLIVER WOOD."

Harry observed the game impassively; he made a mental note never to play himself. The Enforcer in training was not really what one could call vain but he would be a game breaker if he ever went into the field. Granted he wouldn't be able to reinforce the broom for risk of getting caught but he could use reinforcement on himself. Improving his throwing power, reaction time, sight, ect, it would be a beyond unfair advantage.

For example he could see the golden snitch right that second even with the somewhat lazy reinforcement he had applied to his eyes. Moreover Harry could track the damn thing with relative ease, if he really tried and applied reinforcement to his body properly Harry had no doubt that the snitch and other players and balls would all seem to be moving in slow motion, like he said, game breaker.

"WOOD THROWS THE QUAFFLE BACK INTO PLAY, PICKED UP BY KATIE BELL. BELL SHOOTS FORWARD, DODGING FLINT WITH EASE, OUCH!" Harry winced at Jordan's exclamation, as Katie had caught a bludger to the back of the head. That really had to hurt; Harry felt a little sorry for the girl, granted it was nothing compared to the kind of pain that he had been through over the course of his training. But to an ordinary person that had to hurt something awful.

"ADRIAN PUECY PICKS UP THE QUAFFLE THAT WAS DROPPED BY BELL; PUECY IS SPEEDING TOWARDS THE GOAL POSTS. HE'S BLOCKED BY A BLUDGER SENT BY EITHER FRED OR GEORGE WEASLEY, I CAN'T TELL WHICH, EITHER WAY NICE PLAY BY THE GRYFFINDOR BEATER."

"JOHNSON BACK IN POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE, DODGES FLINT AND PULLS UP CLOSE TO GOAL, KEEPER BLETCHLEY DIVES- MISSES – GRYFFINDOR SCORE, FIRST POINT OF THE GAME TO GRYFFINDOR, NICE JOB ANGELINA!" Jordan shouted over the mic, Harry nodded that had been a good play. He might not know too much about Quidditch but he could easily appreciate such a well-made goal. The girl had been perfectly balanced while she was on her broom it was actually quite interesting to watch. Harry looked for the snitch again and found it flying directly behind the Slytherin seekers head; if the thing had a consciousness then Harry would swear that it was mocking the seeker. As it was he wrote it off as a small form of poetic irony, ah how he loved irony.

Harry watched as the game continued, keeping an eye on Abigail every now and then. He was quite sure that when she went for the snitch the chase would be interesting.

"IS THAT THE SNITCH!?" Jordan yelled, Harry just nodded as he tracked the small golden ball as it flew past Puecy. Again Harry would swear blindly that if the snitch had a consciousness then it was most definitely mocking the players, Harry approved. His eyes went back to Abigail who rushed after the snitch, Harry watched as the black haired blue eyed girl raced after the small ball, he could see Marcus Flint coming in around and sighed. Abigail hit Flint with all the force of a small truck, Harry winced, the Gryffindors roared "FOUL" over the field, Harry couldn't disagree with that either. It was quite clearly a foul.

After that happened Lee was finding it difficult not to take sides, not that Harry blamed the guy. He was in Slytherin, even if he didn't care for them very much, more like at all, but he was having trouble not taking a side against his own house.

"SO AFTER THAT OBVIOUS AND DISGUSTING BIT OF CHEATING-"

"Jordan," Professor McGonagall growled. Harry could only hear the woman but he had no doubt that she was livid over the cheating of the Slytherin team, that being said she still put her job first.

"Sorry Professor," Jordan said lowly before returning to the game. "I MEAN AFTER THAT OPEN AND REVOLTING FOUL-"

"Jordan, I am warning you." McGonagall told the Gryffindor commentator who sighed in exasperation.

"ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, FLINT NEARLY KILLS THE GRYFFINDOR SEEKER. WHICH I AM SURE COULD HAPPEN TO ANYBODY." Ah sarcasm the solution, and cause, of all life's problems. "PENALTY TO GRYFFINDOR, TAKEN BY BELL, WHO PUTS IT AWAY WITH NO PROBLEMS, PLAY RESUMES, GRYFFINDOR STILL IN POSESSION. CURRENT SCORE, GRYFFINDOR 20 SLYTHERIN 0."

Harry looked back to Abigail wondering if she had seen the snitch yet, it was currently orbiting above Oliver Wood's head like a mini halo. That was it, Harry was now sure that on some level or another, the golden snitch was both conscious and mocking the players at every opportunity that it had. He approved.

Something was wrong. That was Harry's first thought, the Nimbus 2000 that Abigail was riding on was bucking and twisting. The black haired Enforcer in training knew better than to assume that was its riders fault. He may not know much at all about Abigail Potter but from just seeing her fly once he knew this was not her fault and that just left outside interference.

"Trace on," the words were whispered as Prana surged through his circuits. All of it was used for one simple thing, self-reinforcement. Harry's body improved as did his sight to super-human levels. His reinforcement before now had been somewhat of a patch job, simple and quick but by no means the best he could do or perfect. He began to scan the crowd, he already knew the two people he was looking for and found them quite quickly, Severus Snape and Quirinus _Quirrel. Both of which had their eyes trained on Abigail's broom and were muttering under their breath incessantly. _

_Harry briefly entertained the idea that they were working together but discarded it when he looked at Abigail again. The state of her broom had not gotten any better but it also had not gotten any worse, one of them was probably working a counter to the other. The question was who is the caster was and who was the counter. His questioning was rendered moot when Quirrel went head first into the front row and Harry caught a flash of bushy brown hair right behind him, Hermione. _

_Seconds before Snape's robes caught fire. The bucking of the broom stopped, he also noted that in that time frame that Flint had scored five times and nobody noticed, the scoreboard however did so he supposed that was enough for the Slytherin captain. _

As soon as she had control of the broom again Abigail dived towards the ground, where the snitch was currently mocking Fred Weasley by circling his baton, Abigail swooped by the surprised beater and snatched the snitch out of mid-air and holding it up to the sky.

"I'VE GOT THE SNITCH!" Abigail roared, causing the crowd to scream their approval. Lee was still happily yelling the result twenty minutes later as Marcus was still sulking. Harry simply grimaced; Snape and Quirrel had been solidified as his main suspects. Now all he had to figure out was which one he had to kill.

Harry could already tell this was going to be a headache.

Sword Dancer Chapter 3- End.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sword Dancer**

**Chapter Four: In The Forest**

**Authors Note-**

Yo, just realised after writing this chapter that the first book is slowly but surely coming to a close. Probably only three chapters left really. That being said the first Harry Potter book was only about 75 000 words long, 76,944 to be precise if The Harry Potter Lexicon is to be believed, so Three more chapters, hopefully, on top of this one should put me at around the same number of words so I feel I'm doing about par for course here.

Okay to answer a question that has been asked more than once. Yes Harry is related to the Potters, yes he is their son and no, they did not neglect him. They do not even know he exists, as in they do not even know he was born, yes in a roundabout type of way it is Dumbledore's fault though it is mostly that of circumstance and it was not a malicious plan by the old man at all. No there will be no Grail War. And, finally, this is not in the crossover section as I do not really intend for the Clock Tower or any real Type-Moon verse characters to make it in too often, at least at the moment this may change depending on how the story develops. Also on the matter of pairing I will be taking requests when we hit midway through book four as by then I will have assembled my full cast as it were.

The Type-Moon characters will be in the back ground and they as well as the Clock Tower will be a driving force behind events but they won't really ever make centre stage. Also there is a small shout out to the Dresden Files in this chapter, I have been reading the Denarian series by Shezza88 as well as Fallen Renegade by Ikarus Solotov. If anyone else knows any good Dresden Files and Harry Potter crossovers could they tell me please, keep in mind that I haven't read the Dresden File books yet but god after reading those I am going to.

Also while I think about it while I talked about Harry's personality and the kind of people I enjoy writing last chapter I found the kind of amalgam that Harry's character is at the moment on TV Tropes, don't go there unless you have a spare hour or so just trust me on that, Harry at the moment is a mixture of Affably Evil and Punch Clock Villain. Make no mistake he really is a friendly person and while he will keep a certain distance from others he is legitimately friendly, but he possesses the capacity to do horrifying things to people without batting an eye lid about it.

Case and point. He has in the past, orphaned a young girl, killing her parents and one innocent bystander in front of her, then kept her alive instead of killing her because she demonstrated Mystic Eyes. After which he had the clock tower brainwash her into thinking that she was an orphan from birth and he had gotten her out of an abusive orphanage. Yes he does feel bad about killing her parents in front of her and he does feel bad about wiping her memories but he still did it. The same little girl now affectionately refers to him as big brother. I will say again, yes he is a nice person he does however posses the capacity to do exercise extreme cruelty. This will be explained more when I introduce Freya more in Book 2, Sword Dancer: Mystic Eyes.

Now thank my BETA Zimbolical.

Zimbolical: ALL HAIL LEMON DROPS!

**Story Start-**

Harry breathed in deeply, the air misting in front of his face as he exhaled again. The pre-dawn gloom around him was making the forest around him seem eerie. The Enforcer in training was gulping down air as if it were water. His suit was stuck to his body by sweat that was starting to freeze due to the sheer coldness of the air around him. Prana was already racing through his circuits strengthening his body. The child stood atop a pine inside the so called 'Forbidden Forest', with reinforcement augmenting his admittedly impressive vision Harry was able to see for Kilometres in every direction. He breathed in again as the tree swayed in the air, Harry leapt into the air, immediately he went into free fall.

But that was fine. His target was already coming up. Ten meters, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, now! His body twisted in mid-air, arms going out. If he missed he would likely die even if he survived the initial impact with the ground he would be too injured to make it back to Hogwarts without help, he would die alone in the depths of the forest if he missed, it was terrifying, it made him feel as if his blood had been replaced with ice, his spine shivered in fear, and Harry loved before anything else the pure adrenaline rush it brought him.

His right arm caught a branch and Harry used the force that he had accumulated in free fall to swing himself up and onto the tree limb, crouching lightly. The Enforcer's legs coiled under him as he leapt again, he was fifty meters from the ground, Harry flipped himself so that his head was facing the ground with one leg out and his foot caught a tree branch. Just as he wanted, Harry's momentum was stopped instantly; he brought his other leg up and kicked off the tree at an almost impossible angle. Thirty meters from the ground, his left arm caught another tree branch and Harry again threw himself out into open space in a completely different direction.

Twenty meters from the ground, the black haired Enforcer in training just allowed himself to fall. His legs bent as he met the earth and Harry sent himself into a roll, he was up and running as soon as it was completed. Roots, bushes and rocks littered his path, Harry just smiled. His legs were tucked to his chest as he kicked off the ground and leapt over a boulder; Harry hit the ground running and threw himself into a slide, narrowly avoiding the tree branch that would have clotheslined him had he stayed standing. In one fluid movement the Enforcer righted himself and kept running. The ground ahead was unstable; the Enforcer looked up and jumped.

His arms connected with the tree branches above and Harry swung himself forward, clearing the uneven ground in a single swing. He hit the ground running once again; Harry jumped allowing a log to pass below him. His landing turned into a roll to avoid a tree branch that would have taken his left eye. His roll turning back into a jump to avoid a boulder in his path, his landing a slide and as fluidly as flowing water the slide turned back into running, the Enforcer never once broke his stride.

This was the art of 'Free Running' or Parkour, to an Enforcer it came as a necessity. If their targets escaped into a place that required them to chase after them they had to be able to both negotiate and out manoeuvre traps and obstacles, hence the Parkour training. Not to mention it helped unbelievably with both body control and the ability to dodge.

Harry didn't stop his running, jumping, sliding or dodging until he was completely outside of the forest and back on Hogwarts grounds, almost an hour later.

Harry stopped running; his body was coated with sweat. His breathing was erratic, his entire body was burning for exertion, but that was the price he had to pay to stay in top form. Not that he had much of a choice; an Enforcer that was not in top form was an Enforcer that was asking to die. Harry had no doubt in his mind that the very second that he returned to the Clock Tower he would be thrown back into both training and real life situations regardless of how in or out of shape he was. Not being in top form was like signing his own execution warrant, Harry wanted to live a little longer than eleven years.

He trudged through the snow to the black lake, winter was most definitely here. Harry sighed and stood tall despite his sore muscles, just another hour and he could go back inside and have a godly shower to heat back up and smooth his aching body. He breathed, in, out, slow, controlled. The imaginary switch was inside his head just waiting to be pushed, activated. "Trace on," the words were simple, but they were also enough, they were the words that connected him.

A pair of swords appeared in Harry's mind's eye. Nothing fancy, just a pair of well-crafted nameless blades. Each blade was not even magical in the slightest; these were no Mystic Code, just well-crafted steel. Harry ran through the seven steps and the blades rested inside his hands, one in each. Harry had been forced to develop his two sword fighting style from scratch, there were plenty of people that could teach him how to wield a single long sword in combat but no one that could teach him how to wield one in each hand.

The answer to Harry learning how had been surprisingly simple, first had had learned the basics of a martial art from the Philippines called Eskrima where one was taught to fight with both one or two swords or sticks. After he got the basics down it was just a matter of trial error and bruises as the other Enforcer's tested his style and they slowly worked out what worked and what didn't.

Fortunately none of them had been trying to kill him or else on more than one occasion Harry would have found himself in the morgue rather than a hospital bed. The nameless blades dropped into his waiting hands, identical long swords. Harry took up his basic stance, feet well balanced and fifty percent of his weight on each leg. Left arm in front, holding his first sword across his body on a diagonal. Harry's right hand was just slightly above his head, the blade sloping downward slightly ready to stab or slash the imaginary opponent in front of him.

His practice started slowly. His left sword cut down lightly at his opponents left shoulder, before his right looped around to take his head. He pivoted, right sword flashing out in a stab while the left cut down hard from above. Harry twisted his body as he side stepped an imaginary blow that would have split him shoulder to hip. His left sword came to meet the imaginary blow and forced it away, his right blade came in low to take out his opponents legs.

Harry's body started to move faster. Left and right swords moving together in perfect sync, the left attacking then defending and the right defending then supporting, a movement without end, his body called for him to move faster and Harry answered gleefully. His blades sped up yet again. His form was like flowing water, clean and pure, tempting those who may have been watching with his technique. Challenging them with a fluidity of motion and technique that they may never be able to achieve in this life. This was his home; he bent back allowing the imaginary blade to sail harmlessly over his head, the right blade shot out glinting sliver in the sunlight as it eviscerated the imaginary foe.

Under normal circumstances it would have been impossible for someone so young to achieve this level of skill with a blade. Someone younger than around fifteen simply didn't have the fine muscle control needed to achieve even the smallest fraction of the skill Harry could show with a blade. Fortunately he had a way around that, when Harry reinforced his body it allowed him to gain an immense amount of control over it from balance to reaction speed. So the bonds that normally held people down were broken for him, the speed of his dance increased again.

The movements were fluid as flowing water and as fast as the wind. The sheer speed of each blow would barely be able to be blocked by an ordinary human and even that was only if the sheer strength behind the blows simply didn't smash straight through his opponents defence. Harry spun one last time and finished in a crouch, blades out ready to begin the dance again.

The Enforcer in training could feel his lungs burning and his muscles aching, the blades in his hands shattered like glass. He gulped down air as if it were water, Harry began to feel exhaustion catching up with him, the black haired Enforcer simply rolled his shoulders and began his walk back to the castle. Iri flew down onto his shoulder as he walked through the snow a blanket of white covering the grounds and soaring towers of the illustrious castle, yes winter was most definitely here. Harry found himself missing summer.

**XXX**

Harry groaned audibly as he turned on the hot water of his shower, the groan sounded something close to sexual in its nature. The Slytherin dorms were deserted; Harry didn't mean that figuratively either. The Slytherin dorms were literally deserted. As in there was no one else staying within Hogwarts bar himself from the house of snakes, still that was a good thing, for one he no longer had to act like he didn't want to kill some of them, or most of them for that matter.

Which was a good thing in his opinion, add to that the fact he could also raid Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle's rooms for things. Sure they had spells on them that prevented magical unlocking but picking the lock? Well that worked just fine. Between the three of them Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had added another 40 Galleons 27 Sickles and 7 Knuts to the wonderful 'make Harry richer foundation', needless to say their gift was gratefully received.

"Oh I take from the rich and give to the needy, I take a wee percentage but I'm not greedy." Harry sang to himself while towelling himself off and walking back into his bedroom. Iri just gave him a deadpan stare as if daring him to say those words again. Harry just gave his familiar, and insufferably smug, grin in return. If it was possible for an owl to sigh in exasperation then Iri did just that. Harry sighed and pulled on his normal suit before noticing the, admittedly small, pile of Christmas presents and smiled to himself. Harry was an Enforcer and had been trained to fight and kill from age five, or as near as anyone could figure, but what kind of eleven year old didn't like presents.

The presents, though there were only five of them and two of them were letters, were all things he could enjoy. From Waver Harry got Fate/Unlimited Codes to go with the PSP Waver had sent over months earlier, from Bazett a book on the Runes of Persia and a box of cupcakes. Finally from Lorelei learned that two more gifts awaited him back at the Clock Tower. An upgraded version of the Mystic Codes that he used, the upgrade was applied to his swords and his pistols. Not a bad haul at all in Harry's opinion, not bad at all.

The five, though he technically only had three at that point in time, gifts were very much appreciated by the child who was already making plans how to use them.

It was then that Harry noticed the note on his desk. The young Enforcer gave it a quick once over and grimaced at the continence. Said note was, naturally, from the Clock Tower and was a set of instructions that he was to follow on August 17th, the same day that he would return to the Clock Tower for six weeks of Holidays. Only it seemed that it would not be happening, or at least it may not be. The note was in short sharp hand, one characteristic of Lorelei.

_Harry._

_Yesterday a Magus went rouge. From what we could gather of his research it is believed that he was looking for a way to become immortal. As you may have already gathered this has led him down the path of becoming a Dead Apostle. The Enforcers are currently tracking him, the estimated time that they will find him, unless they get lucky, should be around the same time you return to the Clock Tower. Should this happen you will be sent with the extermination team for first hand experience, be ready._

_Lorelei Barthomeloi, Vice-Director of the Mages Association._

Harry sighed, Dead Apostle. What kind of moron turned themselves into a monster like a Dead Apostle, no that was a dumb question, the kind of person that turned themselves into a Dead Apostle was the kind of person that was afraid to die. They wanted immortality; it was ironic in a way. A person wanted immortality and so they became a Dead Apostle to gain it and in doing so immediately got themselves on the hit list of both the Executors of the Church and the Enforcers of the Clock Tower. The world loved irony it seemed, damned blood suckers.

Dead Apostles. Humans that became a form of vampire or more precisely a vampiric creature, either by the use of Magecraft or by the actions of another vampire of similar nature. Among the creatures that fall under the vampire category, they are the least numerous. The main targets of the Executors of the Burial Agency, an organisation created for the purpose of stopping the spreading of the heresy known as vampires by exterminating the Dead Apostles and sealing the 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors.

Unlike normal vampires that possess no Wizard Magic or Magi Magecraft Dead Apostles can possess these skills. In fact as far as Harry knew the vampires that were most known by Wizard and mundane kind were the former servants of the Dead Apostles.

You see when a Dead Apostle feeds on a human one of four results are possible.

The First is the Dead.

If a vampire injects some of its own blood into a human victim's bloodstreams, the said victim will be infused with some of the vampire's own power and their body becomes unable to completely die. In most cases however, the body dies and with it, the soul of the victim. The final result would be a mindless undead familiar known as simply as The Dead.

But in the rare occurrence of the said victim possessing an above average life forcer, he or will become a Ghoul and embark on climbing the ladder to becoming a full-fledged Dead Apostle. The extent in which the newly created Ghoul will progress is decided by the magical potential of the body, which is stored inside the soul. Furthermore, the extension of its powers is dependent on the abilities and amount of minions pertaining to its parent vampire, whom it is bound, both mentally and spiritually.

The Second is that of a Ghoul.

They are born, when the brain of a Dead Apostles victim is unable to completely die, after several years in the grave, the brain will rot and the human soul will be freed from the cage of the body. The decayed corpses now begin activity as Ghouls and their transformed souls, have now bypassed the necessity of the brain to hold the soul, as the soul is now separate from the body. They have mental capacities pretty much equivalent to that of a savage beast and they must devour other corpses to reconstruct their own degenerated flesh. Only 1 out of every 100 individuals has the potential to become a Ghoul.

The Third is called The Living Dead.

The result of a Ghoul that successfully reconstructed its own body and thus their brain. They are inferior to The Dead in terms of raw strength but the fact that it regained its own will and that it can maintain its own soul now puts it on a different standing than a mere puppet. The Living Dead have very limited to no intellect and to restore their intellect they need to suck the blood of humans. 1 out of a 1000 individuals has the potential to become one of the Living Dead.

Fourth and finally is the chance of the victim becoming a Vampire.

After several years of development, the Living Dead regains a full human intellect, attains power of his own and becomes a mature Vampire, capable of creating other vampires and having his own minions. However, he or she is still bound to the will of his parent vampire and forced to supply him with blood. A vampire can only become a full-fledged Dead Apostle after breaking free from the control of his parent vampire.

The Vampires that Wizard kind knew were an off shoot of the fourth kind. No one knew how, hell Harry wasn't even sure he wanted to know how, but at some point in time a Vampire was created by a Dead Apostle. As the rules dictated they were forced to serve said Dead Apostle. This Vampire hated that fact and did something, which to this day is considered impossible, they managed to break the chains that bound them to the Dead Apostle and stopped their evolution at the same time.

They were stuck as a normal Vampire, unable to regress or advance. Over time they learned that if they gave a human some of their blood and drank some of the humans in return they could turn the human into a being exactly the same as themselves. They had no way of wielding Wizard Magic or Magecraft any more, Harry had no idea how that happened, but they did somehow retain several abilities.

Naturally enhanced strength and endurance, hypnotism, high speed regeneration and finally the ability to translocate themselves short distances, though the distance would increase depending on the strength of the Vampire. Again he had no idea how any of those were possible, he was in the business of killing them. Not writing reports on either Vampires or Dead Apostles.

These Vampires bargained with the Clock Tower and the Church to be left alone and managed to succeed in gaining what they wanted, the records were always vague on exactly what these vampires gave in return. All Harry really knew about them that was too this day they held the bargain that they made with the Clock Tower and the Church, though he had no idea what the bargain entailed in its entirety. It did mention something about courts or something like that and referenced a place called Nevernever but Harry didn't know, and really didn't want to know, any more than that.

That was not to say he hadn't looked for more information in the past but he had also quickly stopped again. Just about everything that related to the place, and he knew it was a place Harry just had no idea where it was or how to get there, called Nevernever was classified all the way up the chain. Now Harry was an inquisitive child but when an organisation as morally bankrupt as the Clock Tower classified something he knew better than to go sticking his nose into it, safer that way.

Harry sighed; this was going to be a pain.

**XXX**

Christmas was well and truly in full swing at Hogwarts. That night was the Christmas feast, not that there were many left to attend, and both the Professors and the house elves had outdone themselves in Harry's opinion. Coming from a child that had seen one of the famous or infamous, depending on whom you asked, 'Zelretch is finally gone' parties that was saying something. The great hall was definitely the most festive room he had ever seen. Gigantic pine trees reached all the way to the ceiling of the hall. Red, white, green and gold decorating each one, each tree topped with a magnificent star. The air was filled with falling snow flakes that were not cold and evaporated the second they touched something besides another snowflake.

Then there was the feast that had been prepared. It went straight beyond opulent and took a supercharged running leap straight into decadent territory. A hundred roast turkeys, mountains of roast and boiled potatoes, platters of fat chipolatas, tureens of buttered peas, silver boats, they were real silver to Harry checked, filled with rich, thick gravy and cranberry sauce. A stack of the Wizards version of Christmas crackers on every table.

These crackers were nothing like the mundane versions of the things, no small puff of smoke and a small crack. No each of these went off with the sound off with a cannon then engulfed the two pullers in a cloud of blue smoke. While from inside the one Harry saw go off came out a rear admirals hat and twelve live white mice that Harry truly believed would be serving as Mrs Norris's Christmas dinner, oh well.

Up at the high table Harry could see that Dumbledore had replaced his normal pointed hat with a flowery woman's bonnet. Harry just smiled and spent his time taking in every little detail about the scene, sure he couldn't use it as blackmail but damned if it wasn't one of the most amusing things he had ever seen. Next to the ancient Professor sat Hagrid who was slowly getting drunker and drunker as he called for more beer, wine and spirits before he leaned down and kissed Professor McGonagall on the cheek who, to Harry's surprise, blushed a neon red and turned away.

He also got into a very interesting conversation with Fred Weasley, if the red head was to be believed then he and his twin, George, knew more about the secret passages in Hogwarts than anyone else. Though he refused to elaborate more than that, as it was neither of the Weasley twins hated, or even mildly disliked, people for being in Slytherin. They disliked Slytherin's for being insufferable assholes to everyone they met. Which Harry had to admit was true, most Slytherin students were assholes to everyone they met.

But until Harry started acting like that as far as Fred and George were concerned he was okay by them. The fact he had saved Abigail from at the very least some broken bones when she fell off her broom probably helped his case some to. Meant that most people wouldn't go making the arbitrary assumption that he was like most of his house-mates, which was a good thing. Meant more people would be willing to talk to him and it would enable Harry to form alliances with more ease.

It was the fact that he had spent time with the Weasley twins that had led to his current predicament.

The two sides stared each other down, no remorse would be shed for the losing side, no quarter neither given nor accepted. On one side were Abigail Potter, Ronald Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Kate Bell and finally Susan Bones the other held their single opponent, a smirking Harry. The black haired Enforcer in training looked around the courtyard. It was nice and spacious, a frozen water fountain with an angel holding a gourd in the centre. Pillars around the sides allowing one easy access to the patio, not much cover really but for Harry it was a playground and for the opposing side it would be a killing zone.

"Are you sure about this mate?" George asked Harry just kept smiling making the entirety of the opposing side shiver in fright.

"Oh trust me I'll be fine. You guys are going to have your hands full worrying about yourselves."

Abigail and Susan gulped mouths all of a sudden very dry. They were the only two who had any idea what was about to happen and it scared them.

"Well if you're sure then." Fred replied before ducking down and launching a handful of snow at the Enforcer in training, which Harry calmly side stepped still grinning.

"You're going to have to try harder Fred." Harry told the red head still smiling and like that it was on. A snowball was thrown by Katie at the grinning Enforcer who ducked low before jumping to avoid getting blindsided by George. The second he landed Harry went to his knees while spinning, gathering two handfuls of snow then charged at Ron. Who retaliated with a snowball of his own that Harry side stepped, before launching his own and catching the startled red head square in the face.

Harry dropped to his knees allowing a flurry of snowballs from Katie, Fred, George, Susan and Abigail to fly harmlessly above him. Harry twisted filling his left hand with snow once more. His twist finished and turned into a forward roll avoiding yet more snowballs. Harry came back to his feet and let his snowballs go catching the Gryffindors seeker and her Hufflepuff friend in the jaw.

Harry leapt back to the pillar behind him and kicked off the stone surface. Sailing above his opponents and landing cleanly in a roll while picking up more snow. The two newly formed snowballs were thrown at the prank twins, hitting both in the face.

"Any idea what we do Gred?" One twin asked the other. Quickly brushing the snow from his eyes in an effort to see his target again, it helped.

"No idea Forge! Never knew someone could move like that."

Harry just smiled, he wasn't even using self-reinforcement just his own skills. That being said Harry had spent a lot of time avoiding blows from things that travelled far faster and were far more deadly than a mere snowball. The combined team of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff charged once more, Harry smiled and the one sided slaughter began again. Harry could honestly say it was the most fun he had for a long time. Like learning to dodge knives only less painful and dangerous, not only that but he got to work on his aiming and dodging skills, two birds with one stone.

**XXX**

Now it should be noted that even during the school holidays the school did have a curfew. Anyone assuming that Harry listened to such a curfew was a moron. Besides he had been feeling a large source of Prana coming from within one of the hallways in the castle for a while now and as the teachers did not do patrols except around the Philosophers stone on the holidays now was the perfect time to check it out. He would have to worry about Filch if the old man actually patrolled on the holidays, Harry suspected that he did.

The Enforcer in training sprinted through the corridors, his feet light and swift, Harry seemed like nothing more than another shadow amongst the darkness a single blink and he would be gone. He came to the first flight of stairs, walking or even running up would be too mundane, Harry smirked, a single non-reinforced leap allowing him to land lightly on the banister of the stairs. The Enforcer in training spirited up the banister as if were level ground, he felt free. He came to the end of the staircase just as the next one moved away from it, the Enforcer leapt landing lightly on the banister of the other staircase and continuing his reckless run. It had been a long time since he had gotten to do some indoor free running and how could he resist when so much of the castle could be so damned challenging?

Harry kicked off the staircase and landed in a hallway it had been swinging past. He went into a roll to take some of the momentum out of his landing, like flowing water he returned to his feet in one smooth motion and continued his run; the source of Prana was getting closer. That sickly sent in the air, like honey cloying, only about a thousand times more potent. He was getting close; he was getting very, very close to his target. Harry slowed down before stopping dead in front of a seemingly unassuming door. However he could feel the monstrous amount of Prana behind it, probably from a very advanced Mystic Code.

Harry opened the door and walked inside. It wasn't locked so he could safely assume that the Mystic Code was probably not dangerous, that being said this was a school that hid a Cerberus behind a door that could be opened by a simple first year Alohomora charm so what did he know?

The inside was scattered with dust, it looked like a disused classroom, with all of the dust all over the stacked desks. What caught his attention though was the mirror that dominated the centre of the room. It was amazing in its craftsmanship and design, simple yet elegant seemly perfected. Around its edge was script, Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Now while Harry had been taught some basic cryptology he wasn't all that good at it. That being said while he could not read the first inscription he could read the second. Erised eurt eno straeh rouy tub ecaf rouy ton wohs I, the first lot may have been a mystery to him but to Harry the second lot was easy to read.

It was a form of mirror writing, however unlike normal mirror writing it not written out correctly. Not only were the words were written back to front. But so was the sentence itself, it taken directly it would read, Desire true one hearts your but face your not show I. One also had to reverse the sentence itself to be read correctly, "I show not your face but your hearts one true desire," Harry muttered to himself.

"Trace on"

The black haired Enforcer sent out a structural analysis probe to the mirror but only received back the magical equivalent of static. "What the hell?" Harry asked himself before trying again and meeting the same result, the mirror was somehow resisting his grasping. Harry sighed and walked in front of the mirror unsure as to what would happen next. His mind already had the blue print ready, his only Noble Phantasm ready to be deployed in a second should the mirror threaten him. Harry looked upon the mirror and his knees went weak.

The mirror was showing him, but he was not alone. Lorelei stood directly behind him hands on his shoulders hugging him tightly a proud smile in place. Bazett standing beside her a mischievous grin on her face, Waver stood behind both smiling in happiness. Mirror Lorelei handed him his Noble Phantasm, not his traced version but the real thing, '_you earned it' _she mouthed to the Harry in the mirror. A missile with bright blond hair slammed into the mirror Harry's gut and smiled up at the Harry in the mirror, Freya, the six year old smiled up at the Harry in the mirror _'I forgive you, it was for the best big brother!' _The smiling six year old said to the Harry inside the mirror, a fist impacted with the glass. The image faltered before scattering like mist, "worthless delusion," Harry growled before stalking out of the room not even bothering to close the door behind him.

**XXX**

For the remainder of the Christmas holidays Harry had stayed mostly inside the Slytherin common room, the worthless delusions and promises made by the mirror were intoxicating. Three nights after he first had seen the mirror Harry went to find it again, his Noble Phantasm ready to be Traced, the mirror was dangerous. It would show one their hearts desire, nothing more and nothing less, it was too dangerous to allow to continue to exist.

One could easily waste their lives wasting away just looking into the mirror. Slowing going insane as they tried to understand if what they were seeing was the future or even possible, Harry was sure that it had happened in the past, when he returned to the room that housed the mirror however it was gone. Harry did not go looking for it again, though if he ever came across it again Harry knew that he would do his best to destroy it.

Harry was upset that he didn't get the chance to do away with the damned mirror but thankfully he did not dwell on the fact for long. The Enforcer in training contented himself with the fact that no more attempts had been made on the stone. He had also attempted to place an Illusion on Snape and Quirell but was denied almost as quickly as he had started.

Their metal shields had blocked him out without problem; Harry suspected that both were practitioners of the Wizards mental discipline known as Occlumency. As to the best of his knowledge that was the only thing that a Wizard could use to stop him implanting an illusion into their minds, on the other hand due to his eyes Harry had a natural defence to the practice of Legilimency.

In order for a practitioner of Legilimency to enter another's mind they needed to make eye contact with their target. For someone like Harry who possessed Mystic Eyes that was a fatal weakness. In order to enters another's mind a Legilimens sent their Prana into the opponents Magic Circuits through the eyes. For someone who possessed Mystic Eyes however this was close to impossible for the Legilimens to achieve. As they had a natural protection from having foreign Prana sent into their eyes as their own Prana was used to circulating through the area making it close to impossible for the Legilimens to achieve the affect they needed to read a person's mind. That was not to say that it couldn't be done, no it was indeed possible for a skilled enough Legilimens to read the mind of a possessor of Mystic Eyes but it was incredibly difficult for them to do.

Moreover even if the Legilimens managed to gain access to the mind of someone who possessed Mystic Eyes they had to be incredibly careful. As the act of infiltrating someone's mind weakened their Occlumency shields slightly and this slight gap may well be enough for a skilled Mystic Eye user to capture the Legilimens with their own power. Then force the Legilimens out of their mind, so not only would the Legilimens no longer have access to the mind of the Mystic Eye wielder but their mind and body would also be under the effect of the Mystic Eyes that the person had; that was when things got nasty for the Legilimens.

Harry sighed as he filed out with the other students into the Quidditch stands. He hadn't exchanged any more than passing pleasantries with anyone that he had been with at Christmas for a while now. That was probably a good thing too, if he actually started to, God forbid, make friends with them it could compromise his judgement if it turned out they were the ones trying to steal the stone and that was unacceptable.

Harry found himself in the stands next to Susan Bones, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley, the latter of the lot watching him suspiciously. Not that it surprised Harry much, Slytherin had a well-earned reputation for cunning after all. Granted a lot of that reputation was earned due to some truly impressive backstabbing but that was beside the point. So long as the boy did not annoy him Harry would hold himself back from planting a truly mind scaring illusion into the boys mind. Maybe Snape and Filch making out? Harry shuddered; no he would not be using that one. That was evil by his standards.

"Ouch," Harry turned to see the Weasley rubbing the back of his head where he had been elbowed. Harry for one was unsurprised to see that Draco Malfoy was standing behind the red head; boy would come to a messy end one day. Harry was sure of that, he would probably piss off someone that could kill him in an instant and expect his family name to protect him. Harry would pay good money on the day that happened to be able to see it. He was if nothing else a very patient person but Malfoy's ego grated on his nerves a little too much, if Harry had to guess it would be because the boy acted like Lorelei did but had earned none of the respect that came with his name.

"Oh sorry Weasley didn't see you there," Draco said with insincerity. Harry didn't react this was someone else's problem not his, he would only get involved if Draco or his two gorillas decided that doing something stupid to him was a good idea. If that happened they would meet his fist first and then Madam Pomfrey when they woke up, if they woke up.

"Wonder how long Potter is going to stay on her broom this time? Anyone want to bet on it? How about you Weasley?" Malfoy called out, Harry sighed. Would it kill him to shut up for five minutes, just five minutes, he wondered if Draco was a megalomaniac, probably Harry concluded, he definitely loved the sound of his own voice enough, high and nasal though it was.

Harry whistled as Snape awarded Hufflepuff a penalty shot for George Weasley hitting a bludger at him, Harry had to hand it to George. Man had balls.

"You know how I think people get chosen for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy asked before continuing without waiting for an answer though Harry did mentally whisper 'shut up'. Just as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all, man he really hated Gryffindor for some reason.

"You see it's the people they feel sorry for. There's Potter who has no talent, then the two Weasley's who have no money." Malfoy continued as Ron went a truly spectacular shade of red, okay as much as an asshole as Malfoy was being Harry had to admit that seeing Ron that colour was amusing even if Malfoy's remarks were below the belt. "You should be on the team to Longbottom you've got no brains after all." Really below the belt, still it wasn't like Harry hadn't taunted people with worse.

"I'm worth twelve of you Malfoy," Neville told the blond. Harry was impressed; there was some steel in the boy after all. He would never make it as an Enforcer, no killer instinct, but as a protector he would probably do quite well, Harry applauded the Longbottom heir in his head.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter. Ron who was seemingly unwilling to take his eyes away from the game just added "you tell'em Neville." Harry wondered if they were scared of something happening to Abigail's broom again, probably, it was a reasonable fear to have as well. That being said with Dumbledore in the stands it was doubtful at best, then again if it happened again Harry might actually be able to refine his theory on who was trying to take the stone and then kill them in the most expedient way possible.

Susan who looked annoyed by the laughter turned away from the game. "Shut up Malfoy a worthless ponce like you who hides behind his father does not have the right to criticise others."

The laughter was cut off, Malfoy just smiled sadistically. "Really well if I ever want the opinion of a parentless blood traitor again I'll ask for it," the blond stated, Harry grimaced. Okay that was beyond low, still not his problem though. That being said he almost wished someone started a fight just so he could break Malfoy's jaw, the idea was very therapeutic.

"You fucking bastard!" Susan hissed out her hand inching towards her wand, brown eyes aflame with anger.

"Also Longbottom," Malfoy continued not paying attention to Susan anymore. "If brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley and that is saying something." Susan's hand went closer to her wand. Abigail went into a spectacular dive, "Look Weasley she must have spotted some money on the ground for you." Malfoy laughed for about half a second before Ron spun in his seat and slugged him in the jaw before clamouring over his seat to have another go at the Malfoy heir. Neville after a second of hesitation scrambled over his own seat to set upon Crabbe and Goyle as Susan peppered the two with stinging hexes. Harry just smiled and enjoyed the show, at least until Goyle stood back up saw him and threw a punch at the Enforcers face, how dumb can you be?

Harry wasn't in the mood to play games; the black haired Enforcer caught the offending limb in mid-air dragged Goyle forward and with a quick twist promptly threw Goyle into a band of Slytherin seventh years. Punching Goyle in the face for good measure then turned back to watching the game, damn that had been therapeutic though.

When he turned back Abigail was just pulling out of her dive holding up a small golden ball in her left hand, Harry smiled as he clapped with most of the school. The exception being the Slytherin section that mostly booed, still Harry was fairly certain that a five minute game was a new record. He would look into that one day. Snape spat bitterly on the ground, Harry just smiled he joined the others filing back towards the school. He had gotten Goyle into trouble and seen Slytherin pissed off. For him that was a good day.

**XXX**

Over the next few weeks Harry saw Quirell getting paler and paler. If Quirell really was the one going after the stone he was probably running out of time. Or maybe he was working for someone else and had been given a deadline that he wasn't sure he could fulfil, either way the man was looking worse by the day. Even though there was a good chance, a very good chance, that Harry would end up killing the guy he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

That being said when Harry did kill Quirell, if he did, then the entire castle would likely be shocked that someone was murdered inside Hogwarts walls. It would probably break their delusions of safety while inside Hogwarts walls; it would be a defining day of their lives one they would likely remember for the rest of their lives, for Harry. Well for Harry it would probably be your average Tuesday.

As the end of year exams got closer Harry found himself being saddled with more and more homework. He swore to god he could hear himself recite the twelve uses of dragons blood while he slept, that was not normal. That being said Harry did find time to put his contingency plan into place should things not turn out the way Lorelei had ordered them to, e.g. if he was not able to kill the thief after the stone when they went for it. It made him feel warm and fuzzy inside to know that his contingency plan was in place, as well as his contingency plan for his contingency plan and his contingency plan for that contingency plan. Bazett had drilled the seven P's into him after all.

Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

It was true as well, always have a backup plan and plan for as many different situations as possible. Also if possible have backup plans for your backup plans, that way if something really screwed up you were not up shit creek without a paddle. Your main, backup plan and backup plan for your backup plan should be enough to deal with anyone. If they don't you have a fucking huge problem and should probably call for backup since by now it is clear that you could no longer handle the situation alone. It also gave you someone to share the blame with if the next plan failed as well.

Harry eventually heard a rumour; something was killing Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest, what was doing it? Why they were doing it? Well, Unicorn blood would keep someone alive even if they were on the brink of death. Harry personally attributed the Unicorn deaths to whoever was going after the stone. After all the Philosophers stone could produce the elixir of life after all, so it matched up with what the Unicorn blood would be doing for whom ever was killing them with none of the down sides. When the blood of a Unicorn was drunk it, for lack of a better term, polluted the person who drank it. Forever staining their souls and granting them only a half-life, the curse of one who had killed something so pure out of nothing but selfishness.

Harry had been checking the forest periodically but was coming up with nothing on a regular basis. Sure he could find a Unicorn corpse every now and then, but other than the fact that whatever killed the Unicorn was dark beyond all belief Harry had nothing. What he needed was the chance to search the forest with others to cover more ground, but that wasn't going to happen. He had tentative allies at best, what Harry needed for something like this were people he trusted implicitly. Hogwarts had a rather noticeable lack of those, though Harry did suppose that was partially his own fault. He was sure there was a lesson in there somewhere but Harry just couldn't see it.

A few days after one of Harry's excursions out into the forest he heard that Draco Malfoy, Abigail Potter, Hermione Granger and finally Neville Longbottom had all gotten themselves detention for being out after curfew. In addition to the detention each of them had lost their houses points, putting Slytherin fifty points down and making it close to impossible for Gryffindor to win the house cup. They had been going so well too. Harry didn't really let it bother him; it was not his problem after all. It also seemed like people were backing off around Daphne more so he no longer had the chance to publicly humiliate people very often, which Harry found to be slightly upsetting.

Not that too much of it mattered to Harry after all he had a Unicorn killer to find and dispose of.

**XXX**

Harry jumped high and allowed his body to fall through the night air, the wind whistling in his ears. His right arm flashed out and caught an outlying branch and Harry used the limb to swing himself forward again. The black haired Enforcer in training twisted in mid-air before landing lightly on a large tree branch and stopping. His body wasn't very drained yet, Harry looked up to the sky it was late, it was very late, in fact if he had to guess it was probably somewhere between twelve am and one am and he'd been out here for at least three hours now. Finding and killing the Unicorn killer took priority over just about everything else. Especially if he was right and whoever was doing it really was after the stone.

Harry sighed; he'd been at this for weeks now, WEEKS! It was starting to annoy him that he always seemed to be a step or two behind the killer. He half way expected this whole thing to be an elaborately created distraction simply to get him away from the stone, but Harry wasn't that arrogant. That wasn't to say that it was not possible but the fact remained that it was unlikely, besides he had ways to monitor the third floor corridor even from where he was. In the unlikely event that this was a distraction the person conducting it would have far less time than they assumed they would have to get the stone and get back out again.

Harry kicked off the branch and headed deeper into the forest, twisting, ducking and diving to avoid the objects in his way. He really wished he had more to go on than, it's dark, it drinks Unicorn blood and is probably after the stone. That was not exactly a huge amount of information, hell the fact the thing/person could even catch a Unicorn was disconcerting. Granted they were no longer what one could consider to be Phantasmal Beasts but still they were beyond hard to catch. That told Harry one of two things; number one the person was fast as hell or number two they were excellent at ambush tactics. Neither of which was particularly comforting.

The black haired Enforcer in training ducked under a branch and slid to the ground as another almost hit him in the gut. Coming up from his slide Harry jumped again taking back to the trees and continuing his circuit. He had yet to so much as see some Unicorn blood tonight, that in itself was odd he normally found some by now. Harry looked to the sky, red sparks were hanging over a part of the forest Harry pushed off the branch he was standing on and raced towards the location. It was a way off but something had to make them and that meant that something, most likely a Wizard, was there. It wasn't like he had any better leads on finding the damned killer right now.

Then it hit him the smell like rotting refuse, it made Harry want to gag, it was disgusting, it was exactly what he had been looking for. Harry twisted away from the sparks, who cared if a Wizard might be in trouble this feeling this smell was exactly like what he had smelled on the dead Unicorns. With only one small difference, it was fresh.

Harry's speed doubled as he raced through the tree branches, he needed to find the source of this scent before it disappeared on him again. Harry could see some splotches of Unicorn blood on the ground below as he sailed over it on the tree branches above and felt giddy. The blood was fresh, the blood was very fresh, that meant that it was probably still around here somewhere, oh happy day.

"AGHHHHHHHH!" The scream broke him out of his, admittedly morbid, happy thoughts. The scream was coming from the direction of the scent. Oh that was just typical, just fucking typical, he searched for this thing for weeks and someone else, probably on their first time inside the forest, found it on their first go. Root damn it the world could be unfair at times.

The black haired Enforcer in training upped his speed again, he didn't know who was in trouble but it was likely that whatever was killing the Unicorns would kill them and then escape. Harry didn't care too much about whether or not the person died but allowing the possible thief to get away unscathed was unacceptable by the young Enforcers standards.

He kicked off another branch and landed silently over the clearing, what he saw was not good. A Unicorn dead, he had long since gotten used to that sight but it was still one of the most beautiful and saddening that he had ever, and probably would ever, see. The Unicorn looked like little more than a foal, its legs sticking out on odd angles and though he didn't know why Harry swore that he could see confusion in the dead foal's eyes as if it were asking what it had done to deserve its fate.

Standing above the Unicorn with its back to Harry was the killer, directly across from him. Harry could tell it was a him by the way that the man carried himself. Was Abigail Potter looking scared out of her mind and in pain as she backed up against a tree root, Harry cursed mentally what was it with this girl and being involved with events around the stone? Could she be seeking it for herself? Harry discounted the idea almost as soon as he thought of it, the girl was not holding back in her classes he could tell that already. Well that or she was an incredibly accomplished actor; he would probably put her involvement down to wrong time, wrong place.

Trace on.

A Black Key dropped into either hand and Harry set a grim smile upon his face.

**XXX**

Abigail's breath quickened as the robed figure walked towards her. She couldn't see under the figures hood but she was sure it was a man. Silver blood dribbled down his chin, Malfoy and Fang had already ran, Abigail knew that she couldn't handle the thing by herself and her only really hope lay in someone coming and helping her. She really hopped that they found Hagrid and brought him too her quickly.

The black haired blue eyed girl held her phoenix feather and holly wand at the monster that killed a Unicorn. She would send up the red sparks that she needed to use to attract Hagrid's attention but she could tell instinctively that if she took her wand away from the figure she would die in an instant. She would die, she would die, she was going to die; it was a foregone conclusion. The hooded figure got closer; a warped smile could be seen on his lips though his face was still covered in shadows. The figure looked like death itself, it's hand came out and shot towards her. Pain assaulted her head and Abigail fell to the ground clutching at the S shaped scar that was hidden by her fringe. The things hand grabbed thin air, Abigail backpedalled on the ground trying to gain distance.

It seemed to amuse the hooded figure, like a predator that knew his prey had no hope of escape but enjoyed seeing it struggle none the less. Something, she could hear something, it sounded like galloping as twin hisses cut through the air. Something jumped over her head just as the hooded thing took to the trees and two dull thuds hit the earth where it used to be standing. The pain in her scar receded and Abigail risked a look up at whatever had jumped over her.

It was a centaur with white-blond hair and a palomino body, eyes of an astonishing blue looked down into her own. "Are you okay?" The centaur asked, sounding concerned.

"Y-Yes I'm fine, thank you, but what was that?" Abigail asked, the centaur regarded her for second, blue eyes like pale sapphires.

"Something that should not exist," The centaur told her. "Thankfully I have driven it off for now, though it would be more correct to say that it retreated of its own free will. Your uninvited guest seems to have followed it as well, he is a strange one that one. Calm, cool, collected but unmistakably brutal and dangerous, still it does seem that he is on your side, at least for now. It is good that the son of Mars and Venus favours you."

His eyes moved to her S shaped scar and his breath hitched. "So you're the Potter girl, we need to get you back to Hagrid and then out of this forest as soon as possible. The forest is unsafe, very unsafe especially right now but doubly so for you, this will go faster if I carry you. Tell me can you ride?" Abigail nodded and hopped up onto the centaurs back, still stunned. "My name is Firenze," the centaur added before standing again. "Hold on tight," with those words the centaur galloped away, Abigail turned to take one last look back at the clearing and swore she could see two familiar swords with red hilts and long thin blades impaled in the ground, she blinked and they were gone as if they were nothing but an illusion to begin with.

As they road through the forest Abigail found herself compelled to ask. "Son of Mars and Venus? What does that mean? Who is he?"

Firenze didn't stop his fast trot but answered none the less. "Mars the planet of war, passion, desire, violence, courage and boldness. Venus the planet of love, beauty, well-being and gentleness. The two are contradictory in there meanings but that is what the stars tell me he is, the child of Mars and Venus. Perhaps he must make war to find love, perhaps he must find love to make war," Firenze sighed and continued in a small voice. "Or maybe he simply loves to make war, the stars can be read wrong even by centaurs young one, I pray that this is one of those times."

It was only when Firenze left after returning her to Hagrid that Abigail realised that Firenze had avoided answering her final question, 'who is he?'

**XXX**

Harry tore through the branches bathed in the light of the full moon, looking for his quarry. A screech from above had Harry angling towards it, Iri had located the target. Harry pushed himself harder, even his reinforced body was beginning to show signs of fatigue but he pushed it aside. This ended now.

Harry twisted in mid air avoiding a branch that would have otherwise separated his head from his shoulders. Before kicking off another branch as he righted himself, his target was getting closer. That foul stench that they carried was getting clearer. Harry grit his teeth and kicked off the branch he was standing on, causing it to shatter under the pressure he put it under. Iri let out three mournful screeches and Harry stopped moving. The final signal had been given, his prey had gotten away and Harry was not happy about it. Not one bit.

**XXX  
**

The black haired Enforcer trudged back into the Slytherin common room at four am, he had searched for some more clues where Iri had told him the man disappeared at but found nothing. Iri was currently resting of her masters shoulder, eyes closed and nuzzling into his cheek. Harry had to smile at his owl she really was a very affectionate being. When Harry's head came up to look around the common room he sighed, yep everyone was still asleep.

Harry walked back into his room and collapsed on his be, today had sucked, today had sucked big time.

**XXX**

As the weeks wore on Harry grew steadily tenser. He had already received his communication from the Clock Tower. The Stone would be picked up by Nic on the last day of term, the teachers would have to have been told that as well so his thief probably knew as well. Which meant they would be making their move before then, Harry growing steadily tenser as time wore on. In addition to the fact that Nic would be picking up the stone he would also be returning Harry to the Clock Tower on the same day, they were very close to finding the Dead Apostle. Lorelei wanted him close by when they did so that he could see and experience the hunt first hand.

Between all of this Harry half wondered how he managed to get through his exams all things considered. When his thief still hadn't made a move with only one week left of term his nerves started fraying. Still it wasn't all bad, at least his exams were enjoyable, somewhat. When it was four days before the end of term and the thief hadn't acted Harry was growing worried but his two suspects were still in the castle and no one had gone into a panic so Harry managed to calm himself somewhat.

When it was four days before the end of term he went to visit Professor McGonagall. Harry been researching some more advanced Transfiguration magic and wanted her opinion before attempting it as well as advice on how to cut down time on turning stone to metal. That was a particularly fun magic that Harry quite enjoyed.

It was outside this office that Harry heard a very interesting conversation. Apparently Dumbledore was out of the school and three girls thought that Snape was trying to steal the Philosophers stone. Now while Harry wasn't sure about the Snape part the Dumbledore being gone part was concerning. Harry couldn't help but grimace when he heard that, before disappearing back to his room without seeing Professor McGonagall. He had preparation to do, Harry had a sneaking suspicion that he would be killing a rather large rat tonight.

Like clock work at exactly twelve am Quirrel tripped the bounded field that he had set up. Granted that was a normal patrol so Harry wouldn't act just then, ten minutes later he still hadn't comeback out. Harry stood off his bed, clothing now completely different. Combat boots, grey pants, grey shirt, black jacket, a pair of fingerless gloves. Everything was made of kevlar fibres reinforced to the absolute limit with runes for added protection. Harry checked his bounded field one last time, Quirell was over the time limit by far too much, the Enforcer stretched. His emotions under lock and key, if he met the girls he would slap a suicide rune on each of them.

If their story about trying to stop someone stealing the stone was true he would let them go, if not...Harry had no problem making corpses out of them.

He walked out of his room, emotionless look in his eyes. A feral grin on his face, this time he would not allow his prey to escape him.

**Sword Dancer Chapter Four- End**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sword Dancer**

**Chapter Five: All The Evils In This World**

**Authors Note-**

Hello and welcome to the fifth and final chapter of Sword Dancer: The Philosophers Stone. I know I said last chapter that there would probably be three more chapters but I chose to end this book early and extend the next one Sword Dancer: Mystic Eyes. I hope you all enjoyed the first book of the Sword Dancer series and I look forward to seeing you all again in the next book, when the first chapter of Mystic Eyes comes out I will put another chapter up of this story just letting you all know that the sequel is out. Thank you, all of you for reading and reviewing this story.

Also just as a shout out to the Type Moon fans out there the name of the last chapter of this book is called All The Evil In This World. Which is also the name of the chapter in Fate Stay Night where Kotomine and Shirou have their final confrontation. Also the final chapter of the Sword Dancer Series will be called All The Good In This Life, which is the chapter in Fate Stay Night where Shirou manages to outlast Kotomine. Just thought I'd throw that bit of trivia out there.

Zimbolical thank you for the BETA job.

Zimbolical: I sense a disturbance in the force….. meh…..Oh no my cookies.

and now ladies and gentlemen I give you the final act of Sword Dancer: The Philosophers Stone.

**Story Start-**

The blank eyed Enforcer walked out of his room, locking it securely behind him not even bothering to pay attention as the runic protection flashed once reinforcing the locks. It was late so everyone was already asleep which Harry had to admit was a good thing. The less loose ends he had to tie up the better. Harry checked his left pocket, yes the gem was still there. That was good, always have an exit strategy, always.

Harry knew that he needed to make sure that he wasn't seen doing this. Too many awkward questions would be asked if he was. Not only that but it was quite likely that the people of this establishment would not approve of the death sentence Harry was going to give Quirrell. Quick, Efficient, Clean. Were some words that Lorelei had drilled into his head.

Quick naturally represented the fact that the problem should be solved in the most expedient manner. Efficient was likewise self-explanatory, the job was to be done the economic way possible, all possible loose ends and other problems dealt with. Clean would be the confusing one of the three. Clean did not mean that you had to be doing things above the board but rather that everything that you did had no reliable way to be traced back to the Clock Tower. Circumstantial evidence was fine but you should leave no hard evidence. They were the three words that Harry would be acting by this night.

The Enforcers blank gaze wandered the common room of Slytherin for a second, before he turned to the door way and walked out. If the Slytherin common room had been his room inside the Clock Tower Harry probably would have reminisced a little, as things stood he had no memories here, or anywhere in the castle for that matter, that would cause him to become emotionally attached to the place.

Harry stepped out into the cold corridors of Hogwarts castle, the Enforcer spoke the first words he had said in the last three hours.

"Trace On."

The words were simple, but they were also all that were needed. These were the words that convinced Harry that Magecraft was possible. That he could, no he **would**, break the boundaries that Gaia had placed on him and become more than human.

Prana spread through his circuits, flooding Harry's body with warmth. He could feel it shift and move inside him like molten metal, the fire of a forge. He didn't bother with the two word aria again, instead simply opting to direct the Prana through years of experience. The Prana inside his circuits surged saturating his bones, his muscles, cartilage, tendons, making him stronger, making him faster, better than any human could ever hope to be.

Harry kicked off the ground and raced forward towards his destination, the third floor corridor. He may not have anything fancy to conceal himself but what Harry did have was something almost as good, speed. Pure unadulterated speed. It didn't matter if he could not conceal himself perfectly if he was simply moving too fast to be made out.

To a normal person this much speed would make it impossible for them to see properly let alone maneuver or even react to changes around them. To Harry it didn't even rate an inconvenience. His eyes had already been reinforced to handle his speed and his reaction time kicked up to the point that no normal human could ever hope to match him. It was there the staircase was coming up, Harry decided that he was not going to be slowing down and the Enforcer in training took the express route to the next level.

Harry jumped alighting lightly on the marble banister of the staircase and leapt up. Not even designing to notice when the marble banister beneath him cracked from the force. Harry landed lightly on the next level and kicked off again landing lightly on a balcony of the third floor, before racing deeper into the silent castle.

No stray thoughts cluttered Harry's mind to distract him, this fight would involve no compromise, no remorse and no hesitation. If anything got between him and his target Harry would eliminate it with extreme prejudice, starting with the three headed mutt if it got in his way. Like a ghost Harry sprinted down another corridor at a speed that would make Olympic athletes weep with envy. Before seeing his target, it was open.

Still he already knew he was behind so it wasn't like it meant much to him, Harry slowed down. Improved reflexes or not he was not about to risk running head first into the maw of an angry Cerberus. Harry strolled into the room coming face to face with the angry and thoroughly annoyed three headed dog that seemed to smirk at him when it saw him, it didn't matter it would be dead shortly. Harry's Prana raced to his eyes, changing them, forest green being replaced by burning gold.

The Mystic Eyes of Illusions. There were many ways one could describe them, the most correct way would be exceedingly dangerous. While not entering the realm of the Gods and thus missing out on the jewel classification the eyes were still ungodly powerful. The way they manipulated the mind could be said in a number of different ways but the simplest was that it gave Harry complete control over his opponent's nervous system.

Touch, Taste, Sight, Smell, Hearing, even the ability to sense Prana, if the person had the sense then it was under Harry's complete control. It was possible for him to make a fly look like a dragon and a swamp look like a flower garden. That was not to say they were invincible, no the eyes had a number of weaknesses. Such as the fact that the illusions that they created could be easily dispelled in the person under the illusion pushed a large amount of Prana through their circuits or their minds were well shielded enough the illusion would not be able to take root.

After that came the secondary problem of making a realistic illusion. It wasn't quite as simple as making someone see or hear something, the illusion need to have more substance than that. They not only had to look real, but sound real, smell real, feel real, for all intents and purposes the illusion had to become the targets new reality. Naturally this was difficult, even with a person's every nerve under his control Harry could screw up something as simple as not making them hear the right sound and let the target know they were inside an illusion and have them break it, but that took a certain degree of intelligence. Thankfully against a mere beast such as a Cerberus Harry would have no such trouble.

When the Cerberus met his golden eyed stare Harry immediately placed it inside an illusion, to the eyes, ears and nose of the Cerberus it was being attacked by another of its own kind, the beast roared and clawed at its own throat. Teeth and claws flashed rending the beasts own flesh from its bones. Harry couldn't help but smile as one of the heads lunged over and tore out one of the other heads throat. Harry could even make his target feel pain, but if they realised that they were inside an illusion the pain would collapse as the illusion was broken, against the Cerberus this would not be a problem.

Making sure that his illusion in the Cerberus's mind would stay active and ensure the beast killed itself, he felt no remorse it was in the way and he needed to remove all obstacles.

Harry watched on with dispassionate eyes as the Cerberus slowly killed itself, still thinking it was in battle with another of its kind. He opened the trap door and allowed himself to drop, allowing the illusion binding the Cerberus to break, it would die of blood loss and shock soon enough anyway. It was strange, there were no wards or Bounded Fields. It set Harry on edge, this was starting to feel far too much like a trap. The real question was for whom, he supposed it didn't matter. His prey would not escape him again.

The air howled in Harry's ears as he dropped towards the shadowed ground. Body reinforced to its limit. In theory this drop shouldn't hurt him, one had to make the assumption that anyone who dropped through the trap door would arrive at the bottom unharmed. Unless the drop itself was some kind of trap, oddly, the thought of dying didn't faze the black haired Enforcer in training in the slightest. Ever since Lorelei had found him Harry had been convinced that he was already a corpse, his body was not rotting, his heart was still beating, his brain still worked, but he was a corpse none the less, and a corpse had no fear of where it fell.

His arms came out, hands already grasping the hilts of the weapons that had yet to exist. His only Noble Phantasm, his strongest weapon was not the first weapon that came to Harry's mind. No the first two weapons that came to Harry's mind were a pair of hand and a half blades. Two of his four Mystic Codes, though Harry did suppose with all the runes throughout it his outfit probably counted as a Mystic Code itself.

The blades in Harry's mind were his oldest companions and his best friends. Both almost identical if not for the slight colour change their runes gave them. One's runes glowing a bloody red like hell fire and the other a whitish blue, like that of lightning. Twin swords of lightning and flame, Harry did suppose that they were slightly cliché however they were cliché for good reason, they were effective. A sword that controlled or created fire could cut through damn near anything by super-heating the blade to the metals normal melting point. Not only that but if the blade was stabbed into a person at that temperature it would boil the blood inside their veins, the sword of fire was an incredibly effective weapon.

Lightning was as well, lightning was far hotter than fire and an edged weapon that was super-heated could cut through just about anything. Then the other uses came in, if super-heating the blade wasn't an option the blade could always nick the opponent and with a quick application of electricity make them go into cardiac arrest or a minor muscle spasm.

The muscle spasm in particular was effective against The Dead, they couldn't be harmed by something like cardiac arrest but a muscle spasm could be kept up for hours with the right amount of electricity. Still it was a delicate thing, too much electricity added to the body and The Dead would go into cardiac arrest instead and too little and the spasm wouldn't be enough to keep The Dead back long enough for him to finish them off, Harry had almost learned that the hard way.

The Enforcer continued to drop through the gloom, eyes still blank and lifeless as he noticed his body slowing down in free fall. It seemed this was not a trap, the lack of light however was quite concerning. It was far too easy to sneak up on someone in the dark, Harry's reinforced ears picked up the sound of the wind whistling against something below him and righted himself in midair. Hitting a spongy surface feet first. Harry let his knees bend slightly, taking the last of the impact, before straightening and looking around. In the gloom his eyes could still see far better than any normal humans but Harry still felt uncomfortable. It was always too easy to miss something in the dark. Caution and Paranoia were the things that kept an Enforcer alive and right now his paranoia was in high gear.

The black haired Enforcer in training tried to jump but couldn't move. His eyes went wide and Harry's head snapped straight down and he cursed. The plant was holding him and its grip was increasing like it was trying to break his legs. Harry had no doubts in his mind that if his legs broke his neck would be next. Harry poured more Prana into his legs reinforcing them further and jumped again. The vines snapped and groaned but held firm as more and more wrapped around his body. Harry gritted his teeth, two swords coming into his mind's eye. Both were hand and a half long swords, a simple cross shaped guard. They lacked any form of decoration save for the runes that powered their mysteries. They were twin blades the only differentiating feature on each being the colour of their runes.

The first glowed with an inner light, red and passionate, as untamable as the fires of hell. The sword of fire, Belphegor, named for one of the seven princes of hell. The second runes held a whitish blue glow. The sword of thunder and lightning, Uriel, named for one of the Archangels of heaven. Twin blades that were a part of Harry, as if they were his own arms. The thing he needed to kill was a plant and as such Harry chose his weapon.

"Trace On."

The sword of flame, Belphegor, dropped into Harry's waiting right hand.

It was a plant and Harry was falling back on age old Enforcer logic, kill it.

Kill it with fire.

Harry's Prana raged, his circuits warming because of the flow. Belphegor ignited the pure red flame was tinged with blue as Harry slammed it down into the plant. The plant recoiled as if running away from the purifying fire. Harry just grimaced and added more power to the blade, the fire roared hotter and turned pure blue. Harry cut the flow of power to the blade and the fire faded as the Enforcer sprinted for the exit. Jumping high and easily clearing the edge of the doorway and travailing down the hallway a fair distance. A hallway that was lit with a warm ambient glow, giving Harry a chance to look down and examine the Traced blade. He cursed under his breath.

Belphegor's blade was cracked and chipped, not that it was surprising. The blade was not really meant to handle blue fire as on average it was at least ten times hotter than red fire. Even the real Belphegor couldn't stand up to that kind of heat, Harry knew he would need a replacement sword, or swords as the case maybe, eventually but that shouldn't be for a while yet. He hoped anyway, the construction bill for Belphegor and Uriel had not been a happy number, not in the slightest.

Harry allowed the blade to shatter and ran onwards, his mind whirling through different types of weapons he could use, including the two gloves on his hands. Each glove was a Mystic Code, a Mystic Code that was far more suited to assassination than open warfare like Harry suspected the fight over the stone would be, but a Mystic Code none the less. The problem with the gloves, if it could really be called a problem, was that even though Harry had designed, and actually built, the Mystic Code he still had limited training in its use. It was, after all, merely a pet project of his, one which Lorelei admitted had a lot of potential but was still considered less important than his sword work and other studies.

Compounding the problem was the fact that Harry had only gotten his hands on the gloves three days before he had, had to leave the Clock Tower for Hogwarts and hadn't had a lot of time to practice with them. All that being said however, they were still a weapon in Harry's arsenal and the well-honed instincts of the Enforcer within was telling him to consider every weapon he had at his disposal, no matter his skill at wielding it.

Harry ran down another hallway, he'd taken three turns already and he was starting to get slightly frustrated at the length of the damned thing. Still no Wards or Bounded Fields, though Harry had little doubt there were some in the place somewhere. Probably at the last obstacle, most people would have stopped checking by then and gotten over confident. Which probably would have gotten them killed eventually. Harry could hear something from up ahead like the flapping of wings. Harry grimaced as he saw light from the end of the hall, time for round two.

The Enforcer in training knew he was behind his prey and decided that he would need to take refuge in audacity. He didn't have time to be his normal meticulously careful self, so audacity would have to do. Uriel and Belphegor came into his mind's eye as Harry willed the two elemental blades into existence. The blades dropped into the Enforcer in trainings hands like old friends, like mere extensions of his limbs. Harry growled in his throat as the flapping sounded louder, a war cry finding its way into his lips. Harry burst out into the open chamber ready to fight whatever had been placed inside to the death, swords crackling with arcane power. Bathing his body in a bloody light and felt like the dumbest person in the world.

The chamber he had ran into was large, a high vaulted ceiling, rafters, even some Gargoyles looking down from on high. But there were no enemies, no foe that he needed to fight to the death, no powerful obstacle to be overcome. No instead of what Harry had imagined the room to house all he found were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of keys with wings lazily flying around overhead. Harry allowed Uriel and Belphegor to shatter, the swords felt almost mournful as they left their owner.

The black haired Enforcer in training walked over to the door on the far side of the room, barely paying attention to the three brooms floating near it, his previous enthusiasm for the task gone. The door was old, quite old indeed, Harry sent a probe out to analyse the doors structure. Still no wards, still no Bounded Fields, Not even an alarm set up to sound when the door was open. Harry looked at the door lock, large, brass, old. The black haired Enforcer in training looked up to the ceiling, the thousands of keys still fluttering through the air. The light from the torches catching them on occasion and making them sparkle like dancing fireflies. Harry knew exactly what he was looking for, an old key, most likely brass to fit the lock and most likely damaged from who ever caught it first.

Harry's reinforced eyes scanned the air, most of the keys were to new. But one seemed to be lagging behind the others, one wing very bent as if it had already been caught once before. Keeping his eyes on the key Harry reached out for a broom before slapping himself. What the hell did he need a broom for? The black haired Enforcer in training sent a probe out at the flying key, it's make up being quickly recorded into his mind, Harry turned back to face the door.

"Trace on."

The image of the key in his mind was brought into reality. Old, brass, large, it settled into Harry's hand with ease. Harry despite all his emotional repression couldn't help but smile as the key slid home in the lock and the door swung open. Revealing yet another long dark hallway, oh this was just turning out to be loads and loads of fun. Harry kicked off the ground hard racing into the gloom, eyes alight for danger. The door behind him swung closed with a tone of finality.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." Harry joked grimly as he continued his reckless run down towards his target. The predator within was growing restless, Harry could feel his prey he was getting closer. His killer instincts were seething and boiling inside him like a sea set aflame. Harry continued to race towards his target.

Each of his foot falls echoed off the stone, Harry could feel his blood rushing through his veins. Faster he needed to go faster, his prey was so close that he could taste him. Harry kicked off the ground harder, light coming from the passage ahead. His hands curled, gripping the hilts of weapons that had yet to exist. Uriel and Belphegor dropped into his waiting hands, the blades sparked with arcane energy.

Harry passed the door way and arrived in a large room, dominated at its center by a gigantic chess board. One that was missing most of its pieces.

A normal chess set was composed of thirty two pieces, this was barely scraping fifteen. Harry could see the remains of the other chess pieces on either side of the board. Harry had two choices from what he could tell. Option one, play his way across. Option two, destroy all remaining chess pieces. Uriel and Belphegor sang as the black haired Enforcer in training leapt into battle.

Harry landed lightly in the center of a group of Chessmen, a quick bout of structural analysis told him everything he needed to know about his opponents. Like he had originally thought just cutting off their limbs or head wouldn't do much, he would need to destroy the core of the magic that moved them. That was located in the same place that the heart was on a human, Uriel and Belphegor roared with light.

Each was being charged with power to the point that they could cut through stone, they would not hold out long though, Harry knew that much. This was just a ploy so that he could summon the weapon that he would truly need against the Chessmen. Uriel lashed out to Harry's left while Belphagor darted towards the target on his right. The two pawns were impaled instantly, the black haired Enforcer in training didn't slow down the slightest. The twin blades where wrenched free as Harry threw himself to the ground, the halberd of a Knight passing just above his head. Harry threw himself into a backwards roll. Dodging yet another strike from the Knight, his body was moving quickly rushing to keep him alive, to move faster. By contrast Harry's mind was still pure and clear, he already knew what needed to be done.

"Trace. On."

Step one, Judging the concept of creation. The picture of the sword came to his mind, it was immaculate. A blade of Miracles and Judgment of Protection and Salvation. A blade that Harry honestly considered to be too beautiful for his hands, even if he was the only one who could wield it.

The backwards roll took Harry next to a Rook, the black haired Enforcer in training ducked the strike of the Rooks axe and retaliated with a stab from Uriel as Belphegor held off the halberd in the hands of the Knight.

Step two, Hypothesising the basic structure. Where all of the materials should go and why were formed inside Harry's mind. The beautiful weapon came one step closer to completion and Harry came one step closer to holding his only Noble Phantasm in his hands.

He kicked off the ground into a high jump flipping back away from the murderous Chessmen. Three down, he only had to kill another twelve and he could continue onwards. Harry's mind focused further, he needed his one true weapon and with the blade in his hands his victory was assured.

Step three, duplicating the composition material. Harry could feel it like he had a forge inside his own mind as if he possessed his own world for forging blades. The steel had been created, the wood readied, even the gold and gems were created and ready to be inlaid to the blade, the perfect blade that still only existed inside his own mind.

Harry spun hard to the right, narrowly dodging the blade of a Pawn. His spin completed itself as Belphagor found the Pawns chest ripping through the magic that kept it alive. Harry threw himself into a forward roll, the halberd of the Knight only just scraping him rather than taking his head off.

Step four imitating the skill of its making, Harry felt his Prana shift in his circuits as if it was a hammer pounding on yielding metal. The metal that existed inside his mind, inside his mental world had been smelted and was being honed, hammered and forged into the perfect form, the gold was being inlaid, the gems readied. The perfect blade which bore with it Gods divine grace was almost ready.

The blade of a Pawn came down again, Belphagor shattered. No longer able to withstand the punishment that it had taken. Harry could feel that the blade was mournful to leave his side, he smiled he really did have a good sword, Uriel flashed out taking the life of the Pawn in exchange for the damage inflicted on his precious sword on his precious partner.

Step five, sympathising with the experience of its growth. Harry could feel them the skill of the man called Paladin, the man called Roland, his hands were on the blade, his skill inscribed itself into the perfect swords very metal. The blade felt alive with joy as if it had just been reunited with an old friend.

Harry jumped into the air, the Knights halberd lashed out at his flying form as did the Bishops spear. The spear was deflected by a kick the halberd by a glowing Uriel. The spear earning him a nasty gash on his leg, Harry ignored the pain it wasn't enough to keep him down. The black haired Enforcer in training jumped forward going into a roll to avoid the two death blows that came at him.

Step six, reproducing the accumulated years. Harry could feel it even inside him, the weight of the steel. All it had seen, all it had experienced the triumphs, the tragedies, the laughter, the sorrow, the hate and the love. Harry could feel all of them every experience of the blade everything the steel had felt all it had experienced, he could feel the weight of steel. The weight of steel that formed that perfect sword.

The halberd just missed as Harry dodged behind the Bishop who twisted quickly to face him. Harry didn't miss a beat, Uriel flashed out impaling the 'heart' of the Bishop. Harry wrenched the blade free and twisted to face the remaining nine Chessmen who were advancing. Uriel shattered the blade giving off a mournful cry as it was separated from its master.

The final step, step seven; was excelling every manufacturing process. Harry felt his Od solidify into the world as a weight dropped into his hands. He looked down in his hands was the only Noble Phantasm he possessed. Durandal. The sword of three Miracles and the holy blade of the Paladin Roland!

The hilt was wrapped in pitch black leather. The pommel adorned by a single purple gem, surrounded by a cage of gold. The cross-guard was lacquered with gold but Harry could tell that beneath the surface the cross-guard was that of black iron. The blade was an impressive one hundred and twenty two centimeter's, seventeen longer than his Uriel and Belphagor, and shined with an inner light. The polished sliver glow of the edges of the blade looked as if they could cut the air itself.

This was it, Harry's one and only Noble Phantasm, Durandal. The unbreakable blade that would give its wielder three Miracles from the almighty. The remaining Chessmen advanced. They did not know that the fight was already over. The Knight came forward, Harry's lips opened.

"Destroy them, Durandal!" The black haired Enforcer in training commanded, he could feel the blade change, a single Miracle used to achieve something that he alone could not. The Knights halberd came down, Harry twisted out of the way of the blow, Durandal came up, the blade was unerring, Harry's form, perfect. Durandal carved through the stone of the Knight as if were water, hitting it's 'heart' and causing a chain reaction. Harry's order was clear, Destroy Them, Durandal did exactly that every Chessman fell as if killing the Knight had killed the rest, Harry took in large gulps of air. Before looking down at the blade.

"Thank you" he spoke to the sword, Durandal seemed to hum in acknowledgment. Harry turned his attention to his wounds, the Miracles that Durandal could perform were limited. He could not, for example, raise the dead, nor could it heal him, which Harry found it be very inconvenient at times but what could he do, he allowed Durandal to fade. It was his ace in the hole after all, not really much of an Ace if he appeared with it. He needed to create it and strike while no one had any idea of what Durandal could really do.

On that note Harry also knew that he needed to improve his creation time as far as projecting Durandal went, it took him far too long to bring the blade into existence. That being said if it wasn't made well enough it would simply shatter when he fought with it. At any rate, and with any luck, Harry would not be forced to call on Durandal once again. He didn't want anyone putting two and two together.

Harry walked towards the door leading from the chamber, testing the leg that had been damaged just in case it was worse than he had assumed under the adrenaline rush, it wasn't. Then he heard them voices, Harry cursed he knew those voices, he needed a plan and quickly. The door began to swing open. Harry growled in his throat, dammit nowhere to hide. The solution came to the Enforcer, his eyes burned gold as the door swung fully open and he looked directly into two pairs of brown eyes, the eyes of Hermione Granger and Susan Bones.

Under normal circumstances they would be looking at him but under his power, inside his illusion they saw the one person they wanted to see the most.

"PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE!" The girls yelled, Harry smiled benevolently the avatar of Dumbledore that he had created did the same.

"Hello Miss Granger, Miss Bones, I fear I must be brief." He told them, doing his best to recall the old man's speech patterns. "Why are you here?" He asked, Harry knew he didn't really have time for this but he always did hate killing children, they reminded him too much of Freya.

"Snape!" Hermione yelled, looking at the Dumbledore avatar he had created with wild eyes.

"He's trying to steal the stone!" Susan completed for her friend.

Harry made his Dumbledore avatar look concerned. "You came to stop him?" He asked to which they both nodded vigorously. "Alone?" He questioned.

Both sets of brown eyes went wide with horror. "PROFESSOR ABIGAIL WENT ON AHEAD YOU HAVE TO HELP HER!" The two screamed to which the Dumbledore simply avatar nodded.

"I shall then, but first I need something from you Miss Granger and Miss Bones." Harry told the two witches who just nodded quickly. "I need you to make a Wizards oath to me that everything you just told me is correct."

Hermione nodded but Susan looked unsure, Harry noticed it and though the Dumbledore avatar looked no different he was readying a blade to kill her if she became a threat.

"Please Susan I need you to do this for me." The Dumbledore avatar said, eyes at maximum twinkle power. Harry made a mental note to ask Dumbledore what wattage his eyes were one day. The red head nodded unsurely, the avatar smiled. "Now then repeat after me, I, your name, do here by swear that everything I have said regarding the Philosophers Stone in the previous conversation is correct to the best of my knowledge. So mote it be." The two girls finished the oath, flame shot out of their wands and wrapped around the two. Since neither of the two was now dead Harry took what they had just told him as the truth and now he didn't have to kill them, he felt some relief at that.

"Thank you, you have both been most helpful." The Dumbledore avatar told the two witches, Hermione opened her mouth just as Harry buried his fist in both of their sternums. He watched with some satisfaction as Susan and Hermione's eyes rolled into the back of their heads. Harry caught the two before they hit the ground, which was nicer than he had been to anyone else he had employed that move to. Hopefully when they woke up they would think it a delusion, not that it mattered. Even if someone was to review the memory there would be no way to know who he was for certain even on the off chance that someone managed to recognise his illusions.

The Enforcer in training didn't spare the two another look as he dashed into the gloom of yet another hallway.

**At The Same Time With Abigail**

'QUIRREL, IT WAS FUCKING QUIRREL!' The black haired eleven year old raged inside her mind. Okay it wasn't like the evidence wasn't there, she could see that plain as day now, the times when his stutter would accidentally slip, the fainting forwards. There was definitely clues there, that was clear in hindsight but she had either missed, or ignored, all of it and now she was paying the price bound against her will while the madman looked for a way to gain the stone, and there was nothing she could do! That was the mortifying part!

Quirrell was currently standing in front of the mirror looking into it hungrily.

"I see the stone," he muttered to himself. "I can see me presenting it to my master, but how can I get to it?" He hissed, Abigail could hear him and took a closer look at the mirror and her breathing stopped, it wasn't just a mirror, it was THE mirror. One that would show the hearts one true desire, she needed to get his attention away from that mirror, if he looked at it for too long he might actually get the stone or maybe he would blow it up. She didn't know but she couldn't risk it, Abigail knew that she would need to play for time. Surely someone would come, soon she hoped, she just needed to keep the stone out of his hands until then. His master, whoever that was, seemed to want the stone perhaps that would be a good place to start.

"Quirrell!" She yelled out making the man start slightly. "Since you are such a failure of a Wizard why don't you just get that equally useless master of yours to get the stone for you." Abigail taunted, she knew it was childish, hell she was even pretty sure it wasn't going to work, but it was still better than nothing. Quirrell whirled around to face her, face contorted in rage.

"How dare you BRAT!" He spat out at the bound girl. "Lord Voldemort is far more than you could ever hope to be you useless tart!" The man continued, Abigail saw her secondary form of attack.

"Oh so he's your master," she said slowly and far more calmly than she really was. "No wonder you are so pathetic I mean I did manage to beat him when I was what? One? One and a half tops. I think I can see why you're such a failure now Quirrell." Abigail taunted with a confidence she didn't know that she had, she really hoped that help came soon. Either Quirrell would get the stone or kill her if help didn't get here soon, who knows maybe he would do both.

Quirrell's body stiffened with anger before he relaxed and a voice, as cold as ice and grating as the sound of knives clashing against steel, sounded from seemingly all around them.

"The girl," it hissed, it commanded, "Use the girl."

Quirrell nodded in agreement and tuned back to her.

"Get over here Potter!" He demanded with his voice thick with hate and loathing.

Abigail just smiled at her one time Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. "Well I would love to but as you can see it seems you have a little bit of a bondage fetish so I can't really move right now." She told Quirrell in an upbeat voice.

The man smiled slightly and flicked his wand, the bindings returned to the floor. Before Quirrell flicked his wand again and Abigail was dragged in front of the mirror for the third, and final, time in her life. When she had first looked upon the mirror she had seen a vision that she was sure most had seen when they looked into the mirror. She was safe, she was happy, her Grandparents were alive again, her family and friends were all around her, a smiling Albus Dumbledore nodding approvingly in the background. It was a classic scenario that the mirror had no doubt showed thousands, the only thing she had found even vaguely strange regarding it was the addition of the boy with black hair that she recognised as Harry was in the mirror as well and gave her a tact nod of approval.

While his approval didn't mean as much to her as say her parents or Dumbledore's she would not deny that after seeing him take down the Troll with relative ease the Magus's approval of her magic was also something that Abigail sought. Granted it would be more of a happy extra, unlike her parent's approval but as it was something her heart sought she was only slightly surprised that he was inside the mirror, this time was nothing like the last two times.

Inside the mirror she could only see herself, the mirror Abigail gave the real a huge smile and a quick wave before putting her hand into her pocket and pulling out a blood red stone. She then returned the stone to her pocket with a wink before disappearing from the mirror. At that exact same moment Abigail felt a weight fall into her left pocket, her face paled, somehow she had gotten her hands on the stone. Now she had to keep Quirrell from knowing that she had it, oh boy.

"Well Potter what do you see?" Quirrell hissed from behind her, Abigail summoned up inner strength she didn't even know she had.

"I can see my family and my friends they're all around me, Dumbledore is nodding at me approvingly from the background and even that Magus, Harry, is there he gave me a single tact nod of approval before smiling and leaving the mirror." Abigail told Quirrell, who cursed quietly before pushing her out of the way.

"Useless girl," Quirrell hissed out before looking at the mirror again. Abigail's left hand went into her pocket. Dare she make a break for it, she backed up, one step, then two, then three, she barely made five before the cold voice spoke up again.

"She lies," It hissed, cold, inhumane, "She...lies!" It repeated, Quirrell stopped looked at the mirror and whirled around to face Abigail.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE POTTER!" He roared which caused Abigail to grimace.

"I already told you!" She spat back.

Quirrell's wand rose ready to curse her, the voice sounded once more.

"Allow me to...speak with...her." It stated, Quirrell looked stunned by what he had just been told. Yes told not asked, even Abigail could tell that Quirrell was being given an order, not an option.

"But master you are not strong enough!" Quirrell replied sounding slightly desperate, the voice sounded again.

"I have...strength enough...for...this." Voice replied to which Quirrell nodded uncertainly. His hands moved and unwrapped the turban from his head. Abigail noted that his head looked really small without it. Then he turned around and allowed her to see the back of his head. The air felt like it had been driven from her lungs, there was a face, there was a face on the back of Quirrell's head. The skin was a pasty and unhealthy white, the same colour that one would find if they looked at chalk. It nostrils were slitted like a snake and its eyes burned with the fires of hell, once more Abigail Potter stood face to face with Lord Voldemort.

"Abigail Potter," Voldemort mused, "How...nice...to see you...once...more." The face rasped out, despite the situation and not even knowing that they were related, much less that they were twins, Abigail managed to channel her twin brother into her next statement.

"You too Snakeface!" She said in the most sarcastic tone she could manage.

**XXX**

Racing down a gloom filled hall way Harry felt elated as if someone close to him had just snarked in the face of death, painful death at that, maybe it was Freya, if it was, and she lived through it, he would be so proud of her!

**XXX**

The face stretched in a sick parody of a grin. "How...amusing." Voldemort hissed, Abigail felt a shiver go up her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature.

"Now...however we seem to be at an impasse. You see...do...you not? What...I have...become because...of...you? Unable...to even...take...corporeal form...unless...bound to...a...host. Good Quirrell here...has...helped by...drinking...Unicorn...blood...but...it is...not...a...permanent solution...however...if I...can...get the...Philosophers Stone...the Elixir of...life can...be...mine. A...real body...would...follow...soon...after." Voldemort told her, needing to stop every few breaths for air.

Abigail just hoped he would keep monologuing, gave more of a chance for help to turn up.

"Now...hand over...that Stone in...you pocket, QUIRRELL SEIZE HER!" Voldemort screamed, Quirrell turned to face her wand coming up and Abigail did the stupidest thing she could think of she ran towards him. The feisty eleven year old gripped the older man's wrist and wand forcing them away from her, Quirrell's left hand grabbed her around the throat and squeezed. She could hear the sound of flesh searing but paid it no mind. Abigail focused on Quirrell's wand. The former Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers left hand tightened more and Abigail's breaths grew shorter, darkness clutched at the corners of her vision.

Still she could hear the sound of flesh searing and a man screaming, the darkness ate away at more of her vision. Her hands holding the wand went slack, Abigail knew she was about to pass out, she was about to black out and die, no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,No,No,No,No,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO! She didn't want to die, not like this, not yet, she was still so young, she still had so much left to live for, the darkness at the edges of her vision kept closing in. The she could breathe again, she was still about to pass out, and indeed would in the next few seconds, but through her blurry eyes she could make out what was happening.

The figure forced Quirrell's hands off her before launching a powerful punch into the man's sternum. Quirrell was forced off the ground and thrown away, like a leaf before a hurricane. The darkness still ate at her vision, she was about to pass out. But before she did she could see it, her sight activated. Professor Dumbledore had no idea why Abigail had this power, he didn't even know what to call it. It didn't allow her to give people hypnotic suggestions or even see the true form of one's soul. No all Abigail's unpredictable, uncontrollable, sight was able to do was show her who that person was after all their choices had added up.

It was different from seeing someone's soul, seeing someone's soul would be Abigail seeing the persons core, the things about them that fundamentally cannot be changed no matter how hard one tries. All Abigail could see was what that person was really like at that exact moment due to the choices and sacrifices they made. This vision could change over time and as such was fundamentally different than seeing ones soul.

The area around her dropped away and was replaced by a barren wasteland.

Smog covered the land, choking off all life. There was no vegetation in this place; it was merely a dry expanse of earth, devoid of all life. A barren wasteland, monolithic gears slowly turning in the distance. The black haired girl looked out over the wasteland, it made her want to lose hope, no, not lose hope, the very idea of hope was a foreign concept in this place. A kingdom of rubble littered with countless swords, a Knight in red stands amongst the grave markers that surround him. To Abigail he looked, impressive and powerful, and yet so very, very, alone. Yes the Knight stood alone at the center of his kingdom of rubble.

The Knight in red, he waited in this palace, this place where hope did not exist, where only swords existed, a place where all one could hear was the melody of the battlefield. The swords, they waited to be drawn by him. Just as the Knight waited to be drawn by those who were not swords. She saw the Knight once more, he was bound in chains of obsidian that led to the sky, the Knight was bound by chains of his own making and by chains created by others. On his back, two pitch black wings, wings, they represent freedom to those that do not have wings, those wings, she wanted them too. Those beautiful wings, bound by obsidian chains.

Abigail surrendered to the darkness that was eating away at her vision, the world had gone silent for Abigail, but even then. If she listened closely she could almost hear the sound of a hammer. Forging alone for a world yet to come, and the sad echoing sound of rattling chains.

**Harry Three Minutes Earlier**

Fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck! Goddammit how long was this damned hallway!? Harry took yet another right, thankfully the hallway didn't have any branches or else he would have been lost by now. Actually that was a good point, why wasn't there some kind of labyrinth type trap? That would have been the perfect place to put traps, Wards, Bounded Fields. The fact there wasn't one just screamed at Harry that either there had been a very good reason not to have one, or his first impression was correct and this was just one gigantic trap.

The black haired Enforcer in training hurtled down yet another hallway, all the while hoping that soon he would find the final room before the stone. Harry had long since passed the Troll, he had just left it sleeping no point in getting into battles he could avoid after all. The Enforcer allowed himself a grin as he saw a light at the end of the hallway and raced through the door and into the next test. Fire roared behind him and before him, the flames behind a royal purple, the flames in front a pitch black. The center of the room saw a single table and seven bottles, a single piece of parchment lying beside them.

Harry looked towards the black flames, they would have cut off the vision of a normal human but his reinforced eyes allowed him to see past them, if only just. Abigail was in front of the mirror, Quirrell behind her, dammit. He had a clear shot! He really should have taken those archery lessons that aunty Pern had offered him, he could create arrows and a bow would be no problem but no. He had his pistols he would be fine what would he need arrows for? Stupid, stupid, stupid, now he knew why the woman had smiled and told him that she reserved the right to an 'I told you so.'

Harry knew that after this job was over he would be swallowing his pride, taking that 'I told you so' and learning archery. That skill would have been so handy right then, just one arrow and...BOOM Headshot!

The black haired Enforcer in training shook off those thoughts and looked to the table he needed to be fast. Harry raced to the table and ripped open the parchment.

_Danger lies before you while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you will find,_

_One amongst us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line,_

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, _

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those that stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onwards, neither is your friend:_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and second right_

_Are twins once you taste them but different at first sight._

A single eye brow on Harry's face rose as he read through the poem once again. It was a logic puzzle, a fucking logic puzzle. On instinct the Enforcer in training sent a probe towards the fire, and there they were. Wards. Simple but effective ones too, whoever set this up knew someone was inside the chamber and near the stone, he needed to make this fast. Unless Harry missed his guess Dumbledore was about to turn up at any minute.

He looked back at the logic puzzle, okay what did he know, what was most important? First there were two bottles that could either get him through towards the stone or back the way he came. Another two had nettle wine inside and three held poison. Neither the dwarf bottle or the giant bottle was poison. Harry separated the two bottles from the rest, the second left and second right were twins.

Harry smiled he just solved it, if they were twins and the poison came in three then there was his nettle wine, that left the poison and since neither of the bottles he had already removed were poison they had to be the potion that got him forward and back, Harry looked at the puzzle again. If he was to move onwards neither was his friend, did that mean that they expected the person who found the challenge to have accomplices or was it...his eyes landed on the small bottle and Harry scooped it up and swallowed it, ice, it felt as if ice was running through his veins.

Harry charged at the black fire it felt hot it felt stifling but he could bare it, with the help of the potion he could bare it. The black haired Enforcer in training hit the ground on the other side running, his vision clearing just in time for him to see Abigail's hands slip away from Quirrell's wand as her eyes began to go dark.

Harry kicked off the ground, a spider web of cracks being left behind him as he raced forward. His left hand shot out and grabbed Quirrell's right wrist. Harry squeezed, breaking the appendage and making the wand fall. His right hand flashed out ripping the man's left hand away from Abigail's throat, Harry's left arm lashed out again smashing into Quirrell's sternum with his full force. Harry felt the man's bones crack and his organs rupture from the blow. The former Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor was blow away, as if he was a leaf before a hurricane.

The black haired Enforcer in training looked back to the fallen girl she was unconscious, good. That was save him some trouble in the long run. Harry sent out a probe towards the fallen girl, it found the stone and Harry found himself wanting to laugh, he wanted to laugh until he cried and then laugh some more. He should have pictured Nic doing this, he really should have. It was just too perfect as a prank.

Quirrell stood unsteadily to his feet Harry placed his body between Abigail and the man. Stamping on his wand as insurance, Harry was fairly certain that Quirrell could do wandless casting, he supposed it was a requirement for a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. Harry took his stance, it wasn't much, a form from China called Bajiquan. That wasn't to say that the martial art itself was not much but rather Harry's experience in it amounted to not much. Oh he was good at it, of that there was no doubt, but the young Enforcer in training would be the first to admit that he had neglected it in favor of his blades.

He looked at Quirrell, Harry's gaze was at best apathetic towards the man. He was just waiting for him to do something that Harry was sure he was about to. Granted Harry wanted to finish this as soon as possible but he was also going to drive a lesson home while doing it, somewhat of a reminder to himself.

Quirrell opened his mouth, hands down in a relaxed position. "Interest-" was as far as he got. The ground exploded beneath Harry's feet as he rushed forward, coming to rest in front of the man in less than a second. This was the reminder, the lesson, that he wished to drive home to himself, if you're going to kill someone then kill them, don't just stand there and talk to them about it first. His right fist came forward, slamming itself deep into Quirrell's chest, Harry felt bone snap. Quirrell threw up blood as he flew backwards.

Harry didn't let up for a second, what came next was not a fight but rather a slaughter.

Harry closed the gap between him and the wizard again, his left foot lashing out in a vicious kick at Quirrell's skull. The desperate man threw himself to the side to avoid the blow. Allowing Harry to catch a quick glimpse of the face on the back of the man's head, he didn't care. As far as Harry was concerned the face was about to die as well. The Enforcer in training pivoted on the ball of his foot and unleashed another kick at the Professor who tried to dive out of the way again. Harry did wonder how the man could still move, he had ruptured the man's organs and cracked his bones he put it down to the Unicorn blood that Quirrell had drank.

This time Quirrell was not as lucky in his dodge, Harry's right heel caught his left arm in his elbow joint and forced it into the wall. There came a sickening wet crunch and the sound of blood spurting, the kick had crushed Quirrell's arm at the elbow. The arm was still attached, barely, but only by some sinew and fragments of bone, it would not be able to move again for the fight. The former Professors face was white as he looked at the close to torn off appendage, Harry didn't stop even for a second. His left arm flashed out catching the former Professors right, he dragged the man forward, taking special care to crush his wrist some more as he did so.

Harry's left leg lashed out snapping the man's right knee with a kick. Quirrell went down in a heap, the face on the back of his head looking up at the ceiling in abject horror. A normal person would have made some kind of comment on how the person was about to die, or they were finished, that would have been a mistake. In those few seconds his opponent could have turned the tide and killed him, instead of a snappy finishing line Harry opted for efficiency.

As powerful as he was the Enforcer in training was not yet powerful enough to crush a human skull, well not the skull of a fully grown adult anyway. Harry was quite certain that he could crush a child's skull. Hell if it hadn't been for the fact that he had managed to catch Quirrell's arm in the elbow and between the wall with his kick he only would have broken it instead of crushing it into a mishmash of bone and sinew. His answer was simple, his final Mystic Code and the only one that he personally had created. Blutige Draht.

Blutige Draht, or translated back from German, Bloody Wire was, if nothing else, a versatile idea for a Mystic Code. The Mystic Code used microfilament wiresas its form of attack and defence, ultra sharp and super thin, capable of cutting through damn near anything, well baring things that had Magic or Magecraft applied to them. The wires themselves were controlled by the user sending their Prana into the gloves and then controlling the wire by directing it via the Prana inside the gloves.

In theory if the wires were refined further and the Mystic Code improved upon the wires should be able to cut through Magecraft as well. But as it was a personal project of his Harry really didn't feel like giving it over to someone else to improve on and he hadn't had the time recently, since his skill with the wires, despite being Blutige Draht's creator, was still rather low. Harry restricted himself to using no more than one wire on each hand, he really didn't want to find out what would happen to him if they ever backlashed, Harry suspected that it would be a very messy cleanup for someone.

The wires lashed out from his gloves and wrapped around the former Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, they were bindings more secure than the strongest of chains. Harry breathed out, exhaling slowly, his fists clenched and he ruthlessly pulled his arms back towards his body. The sound of flesh tearing, the sound of blood splattering all echoed inside the chamber. Quirrell's blood flew into the air painting the mirror a gory red, his organs painting the ground around him, a black smoke like being rose from the corpse before vanishing. Harry paid it no more mind as he turned away, it seemed that he could call the first field test of Blutige Draht a success.

The Enforcer in training walked back over to the downed girl and picked up the stone, before crushing it in his bare hand. A fake, he had been guarding a fake, if Harry didn't find it such a funny joke he would be swearing vengeance on Nic for this. Still it did explain why there were solutions for the problems and why they were so easy as opposed to all being deadly traps. For the second and final time in his life Harry stood before the mirror of Erised.

The vision appeared as if from mist. Lorelei, Freya, Bazett, Waver, Nic, Pern. The mirror still splattered red by blood marring the image of his perfect world.

"Trace on."

Harry kept looking at the people in the mirror, the sword of the Paladin Roland formed in his right hand. The sword sang once, just once, and the mirror was shattered, Harry crushed the translocation gem and faded from the room, disappearing as if he was just an illusion to begin with.

**XXX**

The next three days had been hell for Harry, absolute hell. The entire affair was with the Philosophers Stone was supposed to be a secret, so naturally, everyone knew about it. The theories that were flying around, they boggled the mind! Like the one that said a squad of mutant vampire Nazi's had broken into the school to retrieve it only to be fought off by a vampire in service to the crown. Who the fuck came up with this bullshit!? He was also quite sure that Dumbledore knew he had been involved but was unable to prove it due to all the evidence being circumstantial, or at least that was the impression Harry got when the old bastard looked at him with that damned twinkle in his eyes, what the hell were their wattage anyway?

Abigail was still unconscious however, three days, something she had done had taken a lot out of her. Probably burning Quirrell, Harry still wondered how she had done that. At any rate from what he knew her parents were taking turns watching over her. Good for her, she would probably need someone she knew and trusted there when she woke up. Most people did after they had been in their first life or death experience, Harry himself had been almost catatonic until he had seen Lorelei after he took his first life.

Still Harry knew as fact that his days of hell were coming to an end. Today was the last day of the blasted term and now all he had to do was to wait for Nic to turn up and take him home. Which according to his watch was in another thirty minutes, Nic was always a sucker for being on time.

Harry took one last look around his room in the Slytherin dorms. It was bare of all things that could even be vaguely linked to Magecraft. He had done a very thorough sweep, Iri was perched on his left shoulder, snuggled into his neck. She had been very possessive since he came back injured. The Magus calmly lifted his trunk and walked out of the room, the key left on the desk at the rooms center.

Harry didn't pay even the slightest bit of attention to those he passed on his way out, Daphne being the only one to give him a small nod that was returned by a slight inclination of his head. The black haired Enforcer in training walked himself to the entrance hall and smiled, Nic was already standing right at its very center smiling back at him.

"Ready to leave?" The old Alchemist asked, Harry nodded in return.

"You owe me." He added shaking hands with his pseudo uncle figure. Nicolas just laughed.

"A prank so grand even you were fooled by it." He chuckled out, before becoming more somber. "That being said I do have a few things to tell you about when we get back and a couple of gifts out of appreciation for defending the stone even if it was a fake." Nicolas said the last part lowly as to not be over heard, Harry nodded.

The old Alchemist pulled out an old sock, "_Maison_" The old Alchemist intoned, Harry knew the word, Maison, the French word for home. He felt a tug at his navel and then he was flying into the air.

The collective Potter family had been heading down the stairs when the Alchemist and the Enforcer had vanished, it was only for a second, but Abigail swore that she could hear it.

The sad echoing sound of rattling chains.

**Sword Dancer Book One- End**

That is it, it's done, it's finished. I would like to thank everyone for reading this book and give an even bigger thank you to those of you who took the time to review it.

Zimbolical as always thank you so much for the BETA job.

See you all again in the next book of Sword Dancer: Mystic Eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Just a quick message to let everyone know that Sword Dancer Mystic Eyes was just put up and is now available.


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